Babag councilman flees after shooting, wounding cousin

A councilman of a Cebu City barangay shot and wounded his 36-year-old cousin on Sunday after an argument in Barangay Babag, Cebu City.

The suspect, Renante Bacarisas, a councilman of Barangay Babag, escaped after the shooting at past 1 p.m., said Senior Insp. Dindo Juanito Alaras, Mabolo Police Precinct chief, in a telephone interview on Sunday.

The victim, George Libona, was rushed to the hospital for treatment after he was shot and wounded in the arm and neck.

According to Alaras, an initial investigation showed that Bacarisas, who was on his motorcycle, trailed the multicab driven by his cousin Libona, who had his wife as his passenger.

When the multicab stopped along the road, Bacarisas stopped beside the pickup on the driver’s side and confronted Libona.

An argument then ensued between Bacarisas and Libona.

A few minutes later, Bacarisas allegedly pulled out a gun and allegedly shot Libona in the arm and neck.

Bacarisas then sped off on his motorcycle.

Police believed that Bacarisas went home and then used a Toyota Hilux pickup, whom police claimed was a vehicle owned by the barangay.

Alaras said that Bacarisas drove the getaway pickup toward Ayala Heights in Barangay Sibugay, where police later found the government-owned vehicle allegedly abandoned by the suspect, who made good his escape.

The victim’s wife reported the shooting at the Mabolo Police Precinct on Sunday.

Alaras said that they were preparing a frustrated murder complaint against the suspect to be filed on Monday.

He also said that they would also look into the gun if it had a license or not.

He said that if the gun would turn out to be unlicensed then the suspect would be facing an illegal possession of firearm complaint.

When sought for comment, Babag Barangay Captain Ceasar Dolorito denied that Bacarisas used the government owned Hilux pickup as his getaway vehicle.

Dolorito said he was also trying to help communicate with the councilman and ask him to surrender.

Councilor Dave Tumulak, deputy mayor for police matters, said that the vehicle was used by Bacarisas son to look for his father after learning of the shooting incident.

However, police were still investigating the incident.