1 killed, 2 injured in Toledo resto bar shooting

CEBU CITY, Philippines – What was supposed to be a night of fun and drinking turned bloody after one of the customers of a resto bar in Barangay Poblacion in Toledo City started to fire shots at another customer.

The incident resulted to the death of Rexford Laquinon, 26.  Two others customers, who were identified as Marbel Bayutas, 31, and Brando Ortega, 24, also sustained wounds after they were hit by stray bullets.

As of this writing, policemen in Toledo City continue to look for the suspect who was identified as a certain “Opaw” who is in his 30s.

In his report, Police Lieutenant Colonel Dennis de Guzman said the shooting incident happened at the Secretora Resto Bar in Barangay Poblacion at about 1:20 a.m. on Sunday, January 30, 2022.

Quoting the outcome of their initial investigation, de Guzman said Laquinon, who is from Barangay Bato in Toledo City, engaged in an argument with the suspect.  Both were already drunk then.

Their argument resulted to a fist fight.  People at the resto bar pacified the two.

De Guzman said Opaw left the resto bar and was already carrying a handgun when he returned a few minutes later.

Opaw allegedly shot Laquinon, hitting him on the left cheek,  neck and nape.  Laquinon was already dead when brought to the Toledo City Hospital.

Bayutas was hit by a stray bullet on her chest while Ortega sustained a bullet wound on his right hand.  Both were also brought to the Toledo City Hospital but Bayutas was later on transferred to a hospital in Cebu City.

Responding policemen recovered four empty shells of a still unknown caliber at the crime scene. / dcb