Soldier killed, four others injured in Bacolod City restobar shooting

WHAT was supposed to be a happy night has turned bloody when a commotion broke out inside a restobar at Barangay Singcang-Airport in Bacolod City resulting in the death of a soldier and injuries to four others past 1 a.m. yesterday, November 16.

Police Station 8 Commander Major Joerey Puerto identified the casualty as Private First Class Edmark Iwayan, 26, of Barangay Balintawak in Escalante City, Negros Occidental.

His colleague Private First-Class Joebert Villagracia, 29, of Barangay Hinolingan in Moises Padilla town, and bar owner Joebert Visem, 25, of Sipalay City both in Negros Occidental were also injured, Puerto said.

Other injured were bank accountant, Ulysis Carampatana, 40, of Santa Lucia Subdivision in Barangay Taculing in Bacolod City and his neighbor, Joseph John Magahum, 45.

Investigation showed that the soldiers who are part of the Ready Deployment Forces of the 94th Infantry Battalion’s operational control went to To-Lips Restobar Tuesday night, after they got their year-end bonus.

Visem, who was a former Scout Ranger member, was Iwayan’s classmate, investigation also showed.

“The bar was almost closing when the group of Carampatana and Magahum arrived but the staff members already refused them,” Puerto disclosed, adding that this angered the suspect prompting a verbal altercation between his group and that of Visem and the soldiers.

Puerto said Carampatana shot Iwayan several times which started the commotion and the exchange of gun fires.

He said Iwayan succumbed to gun shot wounds on his head and body upon arrival at the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital (CLMMRH) where Visem and Magahum were also treated for sustaining gunshot wounds.

Meanwhile, Carampatana was rushed to the Bacolod Adventist Medical Center after he had a gunshot wound in his left shoulder.

For his part, Villagaracia said he did not see what happened as he lost consciousness when someone hit his head using a hard object. He was also rushed to CLMMRH for treatment.

Recovered from the crime scene are 11 fire cartridges of a 9-millimeter pistol, a .45 caliber pistol, five fire cartridges and five deformed slugs of the same caliber.

Homicide charges might be filed against Carampatana, the police said.*