Friday, April 04, 2008 2 suspects in shooting get shot at hours later, nabbed
TWO male suspects in an early morning shooting yesterday became victims of a second shooting incident hours later.
Joepet Visto, 18, positively identified Warren Padasas, 18, and Ramil Binolirao, 21 as the persons who shot him and his companion, Vladimir Galan, 19.
At 1:40 a.m. yesterday, Galan and Visto, both college students, were standing along the sidewalk near their residence in Sitio Chicos, Barangay Tisa, Cebu City.
They were both waiting for their relatives who were expected to arrive with the embalmed remains of their deceased grandmother.
While waiting, a metallic green motorcycle stopped near them and the back rider suddenly shot them several times before they fled toward San Jose Extension, Cebu City.
Galan was shot in the head while Visto was hit in the right arm. Both survived and were rushed to Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC) for treatment.
Identified
About three hours later, at 4:45 a.m., another shooting along F. Llamas St., Barangay Tisa brought Padasas and Binolirao to CCMC, where they were treated for respective shots on the left arm and left side of the stomach.
Both are residents of Barangay Mabolo, Cebu City.
Visto, supported by witness Jayber Sanches of F. Llamas St., identified the two as the ones who shot him and Galan. The two also identified the motorcycle used in the shooting.
With the identification, Padasas and Binolirao were placed under arrest.
Other pieces of evidences found at the two crimes scenes were two empty shells of a .45 cal. gun and two deformed slugs.
Although none of the individuals involved admitted to being gang members, the Cebu City Police Office (CPPO) is considering the case as gang-related.
According to CPPO director Patrocino Comendador, they are working double time on the case. He said they are still in the process of identifying the motive of the shooting.
The Cebu City Homicide Section already requested the PNP Crime Lab for a paraffin test on Padasas, Binolirao, Galan, and Visto.
Comendador said he understands the predicament of the victims or their families who questioned the absence of checkpoints when the incident happened.
“Cebu City is a large city. With about 1,000 policemen, we cannot cover every inch of it so we have to be practical. We cannot guard all points at the same time. Looking at the situation, while something happened in Barangay Tisa, we were able to deter crimes in other areas,” he explained.
Doing their best
He said police personnel in Barangay Tisa, an area with a prevalence of gang wars, are doing their best to contain crimes in their jurisdiction.
Meanwhile, four unidentified suspects shot to death 54-year-old junk shop owner Jupith Bayking at 6 a.m. yesterday.
Bayking was shot in the head while cutting scrap iron. He died in front of his junk shop in Sitio Paglaom, Barangay Mambaling, Cebu City.
