Fatal Carcar shootout: Business rivalry eyed as possible motive
The suspects in the shootout in Barangay Bolinawon this morning are detained inside the detention cell at this police station. | Paul Lauro
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Business rivalry may have been the cause of the fatal shootout between two cousins in Carcar City in southern Cebu that killed a 34-year-old man on Wednesday, April 23.
The shooting happened in a residential area in Proper, Brgy. Bolinawan around 6 a.m. on Wednesday.
Responding police officers arrived on the scene and found the victim, Natchumie Alegarbes Dayondon, dead on the spot with multiple gunshot wounds.
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Shortly before his death, Dayondon had apparently got involved into a heated altercation with his neighbors, who included his cousin, that escalated into a gunfight.
While the suspects managed to flee the scene right after, police managed to arrest them a couple of hours later following tips from concerned citizens and witnesses.
The accused were identified as James Arnold Quijoy Alegarbes, 33, and Jenro Barcenas Eliorda of Barangay Napo.
Police said Eliorda drove the getaway motorcycle after the shooting.
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Investigators believed business rivalry as the possible motive behind the crime, said Police Lieutenant Colonel Ruel Burlat, chief of the Carcar City Police Station.Dayondon had been successful in running a meat shop in Brgy. Bolinawan, Burlat said.
Alegarbes then followed suit and opened his own stall near Dayondon’s.
Since then, the cousins often got into heated arguments because of competition. However, things took a bloody turn on Wednesday morning when the cousins argued and decided to solve matters by shooting at each other.
Dayondon died in the shootout with several gunshot wounds in the body, said Burlat.
Alegarbes was wounded in the arm and fled on a motorcycle driven by Eliorda.
Burlat confirmed Dayondon previously faced charges pertaining to illegal drugs trade but clarified that it did not have anything to do with his killing.
The police chief also confirmed that they recovered the guns used in the shootout.
“Naretrieve ra namo ang weapons nga gigamit nila,” Burlat said.
(The weapons they used were both recovered.)
They were both .45 caliber pistols and that they were likely unlicensed firearms, he saie.
The suspects remain in police custody and will face charges of murder, violation of Republic Act 10591 (Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act), and violation of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) gun ban.
Carcar City is a fourth-class component city located approximately 40 kilometers south of Cebu City.
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