BY GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The team-building activity of a private company turned bloody on July 10, after two of its participants figured in a shooting incident at a beach resort in Brgy. 4, Sipalay City, Negros Occidental, and both ended dead.
The suspect, identified by the police as Garry Labrador of Brgy. Ma-ao, Bago City, died on the spot, while the victim, Fernando Silanga, of Lower Bicutan, Taguig City, Metro Manila, was declared dead on arrival at the Sipalay Infirmary, P/Maj. James Latayon, city police officer-in-charge, said in his report to the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office.
Initial investigations of the Sipalay police showed that a heated altercation ensued between Labrador and Silanga, who was singing in a videoke house at the beach resort.
The argument led to the shooting incident, with Labrador shooting Silanga first, the police said.
Despite being injured, Silanga managed to return fire and also killed Labrador, the police added.
Several fired cartridges of a .45 caliber pistol and a 9mm pistol were recovered at the crime scene.
Silanga and Labrador were reportedly the security escorts of the owner of a private company.
Old grudges are being looked into by the police as having triggered the incident.
Cauayan policemen, led by P/Lt. Col. Norberto Barniso, who was requested by Latayon to set up a checkpoint, managed to intercept and flagged down five vehicles, whose passengers were among the participants in the team-building activity.
Barniso said statements were taken from the passengers by Sipalay police investigators, led by Latayon.*
