Tuesday, August 12, 2008 Grandma shot dead, child escapes
A GRANDMOTHER was shot dead Sunday while her nine-year-old granddaughter managed to escape through a window in a shooting in Pinamungajan town.
Police arrested one suspect, whom the girl identified as her uncle, who was among the three men who allegedly attacked them.
Buenaventurada Villeta, 60, was with her granddaughter Charmaine in their house in Barangay Amislag preparing supper on Sunday afternoon.
At about 5 p.m., someone called out Buenaventurada’s name, prompting them to stop working and check who was outside.
Charmaine said that when she went to the window, she saw her uncle, Veronico Baloro, 48, who is Buenaventurada’s nephew, outside the house.
But before her grandmother could open the door, two men allegedly barged in and then shot Buenaventurada.
Terrified, Charmaine escaped through the window and fell down a slope, suffering cuts and bruises.
She sought help from a neighbor who brought her to the barangay hall.
Tanods went back to the house but Baloro and his two companions were no longer there.
A police team proceeded to the area and managed to locate Baloro. He was placed under arrest.
PO1 Gilfred Baruman, one of the responding officers, said Baloro has repeatedly denied involvement in the shooting and kept telling them he was not there when it happened.
However, Charmaine said she saw Baloro outside the house.
Baruman said that they had an ongoing investigation but are studying a land dispute as a motive in the killing.
He explained that Buenaventurada reportedly pawned a piece of property belonging to the family. They had inherited it from their elders and the property had not yet been divided among the heirs.
However, Baruman said they would not yet conclude that this was the only angle in the killing of the victim. (MEA)
