A DANCE on the eve of the feast of San Vicente Ferrer in the mountain barangay of Nangka, Boljoon, Cebu was marred by violence last Friday night.
The revelry was cut short by the sound of gunshots that sent everyone scampering in different directions.
When the dust settled, two people were dead, including a 16-year-old girl. Two others were brought to the hospital.
“Wa gyu’y nagdahom ani (Nobody thought this could happen),” said PO3 Nelson Saquibal, the southern town’s investigator.
Around 9:45 p.m., a visitor from the neighboring town of Malabuyoc, who was later identified as Roger Luerque, arrived at the dance and started to scream at everyone who came his way.
Confrontation
Luerque, 30, was believed to be mentally deranged. He had a few drinks last night, before a police officer fatally shot him.
Initial investigation revealed that Luerque went amok, prodding a barangay tanod to try to pacify him.
Their confrontation caught the attention of PO1 Edwin Belamala, who was one of the four cops securing the event.
“Wa siya (Belamala) magtuo nga naay (He didn’t think there was) impending danger,” Quiblas said.
PO1 Belamala asked to Luerque calm down.
Quiblas said Lurque didn’t appear to be drunk but it was clear from his breath that he had had a few drinks.
It was also not clear if Lurque arrived alone because no one stepped forward for him, Quiblas said.
Belamala thought he had accomplished his mission when Lurque nodded to him. He turned his back to return to his post when Lurque stabbed him with a 15-inch butcher knife in the spine.
Lurque grabbed Belamala’s M16 rifle and aimed it at the policeman. Belamala grabbed hold of the barrel, but Lurque pulled the trigger. Belamala was able to move the barrel away from his face, while Lurque continued firing.
Recuperating
A bullet hit the head of Maribeth Ceciban, 16, who died on the spot. Another bullet hit the leg of Juditho Pelago, 30.
A weak Belamala fell on the ground. “He was losing blood,” Quiblas said.
His companion PO1 Noel Pelone shot Lurque several times, killing him.
“Kon di to niya pikhan pod, makaigo na pod unya tog lain (Had Pelone not done that, Lurque could have killed more people),” Quiblas said.
As of yesterday afternoon, Pelago was waiting to have surgery, while Belamala was recovering at the Chong Hua Hospital in Cebu City.
Also last Friday, John Carlo Maglanao, 19, was electrocuted while working on the roof of an appliance center in the northern town of Catmon.