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Saturday, May 31, 2008
4 hurt in family feud, shooting
By Mia E. Abellana
CEBU CITY -- A family dispute led to the shooting of four family members in San Antonio Village, Barangay Apas, Cebu City Friday night.
The attack wounded Esmeraldo Fontanor, 41, his father Cristito, 72, his wife Glenn and son Paolo, 13.
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All four were taken to the Perpetual Succour Hospital.
Witnesses pointed to Esmeraldo's brother-in-law Ernesto Bogarin, a retired master sergeant of the Philippine Air Force, as the gunman.
There were reports that one or two of the victims died at the hospital but Sun.Star Cebu was unable to confirm this as of press time.
Radio dyHP reported that Cristito succumbed to his gunshot wounds.
The argument reportedly started when Glenn and Esmeraldo's sister Anecita began fighting past 8 p.m., over a dog that was making too much noise.
Floramie Labatong, Esmeraldo's house helper, said that as Anecita and Glenn argued, Esmeraldo arrived and tried to ease the tension. Just then, Anecita's husband Ernesto came and pulled out a pistol.
The next thing she knew, Ernesto was shooting at Esmeraldo.
"We don't know what happened next because we were inside the house," Labatong told reporters.
Witnesses said they heard about seven shots fired.
Concepcion Alcos, sister of Esmeraldo and Anecita, said she was with her children at home when the gunshots were fired.
She explained that her brother and sister have been at odds for the past two years. It reportedly started over a parking space in the subdivision and then later, over a piece of property.
She said there were insinuations that one of the siblings was favored by their parents when the property was divided.
Alcos said that the next thing she knew, her brother was down on the ground and her father was also wounded.
Apas Barangay Captain Ramil Ayuman said that the dispute never reached the barangay.
Last night, as police scoured the area in search of Bogarin, a man in possession of a firearm was arrested by the Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Bureau.
The man who identified himself as Herbert Rada appeared to be drunk. He reportedly hails from Negros Oriental.
Senior Inspector George Ylanan said when they reached the Mahiga River, Rada allegedly fired at his men twice, prompting them to chase him.
They recovered from him a .357 revolver with bullets and two empty shells in its chamber. But Rada denied owning the gun. Asked how he got it, all he said was, "I don't know."
Though he was not implicated in last night's shooting, Ylanan said he will still be made to undergo a paraffin test for allegedly shooting at the police.
Rada will face a charge for illegal possession of a firearm. (Sun.Star Cebu)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Davao. (May 31, 2008 issue)
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