• RICHARD T. CABALLERO JR.
A tricycle driver was wounded after a shooting incident along the National Highway of Barangay Tabunan, Bago City, at around 4 p.m. of July 28, police said.
The victim was identified as Eduardo Abalajon, a 57-year-old tricycle driver and a resident of Barangay Cabug, Bacolod City.
Based on the statement released by the Negros Occidental Provincial Police Office (NOCPPO), the victim was passing by, driving his tricycle in the said area when he was hit by a stray bullet from two unidentified gunmen targeting a jail officer beside the highway.
While the jail officer, identified as JO1 Adrian Espago, was finishing washing his car beside the highway, the suspects fired several shots toward him. Fortunately, he managed to take cover in his vehicle. However, a bullet hit the passing tricycle driver.
After the incident, the suspects fled the crime scene, heading east, police said.
The police recovered 5 fired cartridges of a 9mm caliber pistol at the scene.
The gunshot victim was brought to Bacolod South Medical Hospital for medical treatment.
On the same day, another shooting incident took place at Sitio Tambo, Barangay Amontay, in Binalbagan.
The suspect was identified as alias “Pol,” a 38-year-old married male who shot his younger brother twice using a firearm of unknown caliber. Further investigation revealed that the cause of the incident was a misunderstanding and old grudges between the siblings.
The victim sustained gunshot wounds on the left side of his abdomen and left hand and was brought by his family to Isabela District Hospital. The suspect, who fled from the crime scene after the incident, was later apprehended during the hot pursuit operation conducted by Binalbagan Municipal Police Station.*
