A cellphone video captured the moment when gunshots rang out and people began to panic during a Christmas party in Barangay Imelda, Pilar, Camotes on Friday evening, December 22, 2023. | Screenshot of contributed video via Paul Lauro
CEBU CITY, Philippines – A Christmas party turned bloody when two men were shot to death on Friday night, December 22, in Barangay Imelda, Pilar, Camotes island.
What was supposed to be a happy and heart-warming Christmas party was disturbed by a shooting which resulted to the death of two residents.
One of the victims was identified as 49-year-old Roger Cataros, married and a fisherman.
The second victim was identified as 33-year-old Benjie Alcala, a single man who makes a living by farming in the barangay.
READ: 15-year-old boy shot in head by minor
In a phone interview with CDN Digital, Patrolman Ryan James Samonte of the Pilar Police Station disclosed that the incident took place at 11:25 p.m.
Before the shooting, residents of Barangay Imelda gathered at their covered court on Friday night for some food and entertainment as their way of celebrating Christmas.
Barangay officials and residents of all ages took their place in anticipation for the activities ahead.
However, the joyful singing of children was interrupted when a man suddenly began firing at the attendees.
According to Samonte, the suspect arrived at the court earlier and was unruly due to alcohol intoxication.
READ: Parking attendant killed in Cebu City shooting
The drunk man allegedly began to get wild so he was scolded and asked to leave which he did.
However, the drunk suspect allegedly came back a little later carrying a firearm.
He then began shooting at the people inside the covered court causing residents to panic and run for safety.
A cellphone video caught the moment when the gunshots began ringing out.
In the video, a total of 5 gunshots can be heard while most of the attendees were focused on the children’s performance.
After the 6th gunshot, people began to realize that there was an armed man and started to run for fear of their lives.
Unfortunately, Cataros and Alcala were not able to flee and lost their lives a day before Christmas Eve.
As of this writing, police in the are still conducting a hot-pursuit operation to arrest the suspect.
READ:
All 6 Filipino students unharmed after in-campus shooting in Prague, embassy says