Two men shot dead

A barangay traffic enforcer was shot dead by an assailant in Barangay Labangon, Cebu City, past midnight the other day.

The victim was identified by the police as Giuseppe Lucas Caballero, a resident of Barangay Pardo, Cebu City.

According to Chief Inspector Clark Ariola, Punta Police Station chief, a witness who requested anonymity said he heard a sound of a motorcycle stopping near his area. Then a person asked: ‘Pauli na ka bai?’ This was followed by three gunshots.

He went to the area and found the victim lying along the road beside his motorcycle, dead after being shot several times in different parts of his body.

Empty .45 cal. shells were recovered at the crime scene.

Ariola said that they are looking into personal grudge and his work as a traffic enforcer in his barangay as the possible motive behind the incident. However, police are also not discounting the possibility that the victim knew the assailant since they allegedly had a brief conversation, according to the witness.

Meanwhile, a man was shot dead by his companion in Sitio Upper Kantisang, Barangay Paril, Cebu City; 9:30 p.m. last Thursday.

Pedro Oliverio,39; a native of Zamboanga del Sur, and currently residing in Tagube, Compostela, Cebu, was allegedly shot by Ed Escoto, 37, of Barangay Lusaran, Cebu City; and Lucrisio Ybañez, 55, of Sitio Upper Kantisang.

Chief Inspector Alvin Llamedo, chief of the Talamban Police Station, said the suspects were drinking that night when Oliverio arrived and approached them.

"Atong gabhiuna, nagabot to ang victim og ang suspects sa ato nga lugar. Dayon pagkakita nila, nibunot og pusil si Oliverio dayon iyang gikasa dayon gibalik og suksok sa iyang kilid. After na ato, gi-tap ni Escoto ang abaga ni Oliverio dayon misulti nga ‘Ayaw ana bay, kita-kita ra dire o’ dayon mao na to gikwelyuhan na ni Oliverio si Escoto,” Llamedo added.

According to Llamedo, Escoto heard a gunshot while they struggled, the first gunshot hit Oliverio in the chest.

“After sa first nga buto, naa pay ni-follow nga mga gunshots pero wala na nakabantay ang mga suspect kay naratol na kuno sila. Mao to nanglakaw sila after ato nga higayun tungod sa kabalaka,” Llamedo said.

The relatives of the suspects advised them to surrender to the authorities to avoid further conflict. They were later arrested in Sitio Upper Kantisang.

Llamedo said Ybañez earlier filed a report against Oliverio after the victim allegedly threatened him.

The authorities recovered six live rounds, four empty shells, and a magazine from the pocket of the victim whose body was taken to the St. Francis Funeral Homes for autopsy.