Pa, toddlers hurt in shooting

A 47-YEAR-OLD father and his twin daughters aged one year old were injured when they were shot by five unidentified suspects at Barangay Libas, Isabela town, Negros Occidental, Tuesday morning.

Isabela police case investigator Police Officer 2 Roberto Ballon identified the victims as Nathaniel Sarrarania, 47, of Barangay Libas, Isabela and his twin daughters.

Initial investigation showed that at about 8 a.m. when Sarrarania and his wife Melody, 27, their daughters, and Melody’s cousin Abner Hordan were about to board a tricycle in front of the barangay hall, they were shot by five unidentified suspects, Ballon said.

He said one of the twins sustained gunshot wound in her head and the other one sustained gunshot wound in her feet, while their father sustained gunshot wound in his right index finger.

Ballon said that before the incident, Melody, her husband and their twins attended a settlement hearing between Melody’s grandmother Adelaida Espares at the Barangay Hall of Libas.

After the hearing, the victims decided to go home. That was when the suspects shot them and fled.

Ballon added the victims were immediately rushed to the Bacolod Adventist Medical Center for medical treatment.

Police recovered in the crime scene several slugs of undetermined firearm and empty shells of .45 caliber firearm.

Ballon said witnesses saw unidentified persons loitering in front of the barangay hall prior to the incident.

He said they are still conducting further investigation to determine the motive in the shooting. (MAP)