4 killed in separate Zambo Sur gun attacks

FOUR people, including a village official and a watchman, were killed while two others were wounded in two separate gun attacks in the province of Zamboanga del Sur, the police said Tuesday, May 7.

Police Brigadier General Emmanuel Luis Licup, Police Regional Office-Zamboanga Peninsula director, identified the fatalities as follows: Donald Monto, 41; Antonio Malin; Jhon Kenneth Apolo, 10; and Mario Binghay.

Wounded were Noel Carbonillas, 40, and Benjamin Amparado, 65. They were hospitalized.

Licup said Monto and Malin were killed around 3 p.m. Monday at Purok 1 in Pictoran village, Sominot municipality.

Monto and Malin was a councilor (kagawad) and watchman (tanod) of the village of Pictoran, respectively, at the time of their deaths.

Licup said investigation showed that the victims were inside the residence of the Monto family when gunmen barged in and repeatedly shot them in front of the village official’s children.

The suspects fled towards the Bagong Baroy village, Sominot, aboard on three motorcycles after Monto and Malin fell dead.

Recovered from the crime scene were empty shells of caliber .45 pistol and M-16 Armalite rifle.

Licup said Apolo was killed after he was hit by stray bullets following a burst of gunfire that also resulted to the death of Binghay and injured Carbonillas around 7:45 p.m. Monday at New Agora market in Sta. Lucia village, Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur.

Amparado was injured when he was also hit by stray bullets. He was driving a jeep with Apolo as his passenger at the time of the incident.

Investigation showed that prior to the incident, Carbonillas arrived at the New Agora market and the by-standers heard several burst of gunfire few minutes later.

Licup said Binghay was rushed but failed to reached alive in the hospital while Carbonillas was hospitalized.

He said recovered at the crime scene were seven empty shells of caliber .45 pistol, one slug of the same caliber and three live ammunition of a 12 gauge shotgun.

The police official said investigation continues to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident. (SunStar Philippines)