ILOILO City – Police investigators are still yet to establish the identity of the assailant of two young men in Friday’s shooting at a birthday celebration in Barangay Ticud, La Paz district.
Although they already have a person of interest, Police Major Jose Val Ladublan, chief of the La Paz police station, said they could not file a case against him because they have no witnesses.
Eighteen-year-olds Earl Jonathan Gatin of Ticud and Albert Leopar of Barangay North Baluarte, Molo district died at the West Visayas State University Medical Center. Gatin sustained two gunshot wounds to the chest while Leopar had a fatal wound at the back of his head.
Meanwhile, birthday celebrator Rinz Anthony Mahusay, 19, was recuperating in the same hospital due to gunshot wounds on an arm and a leg.
Ladublan said their person of interest was from Barangay Jereos, La Paz. He was also reportedly involved in a rumble between Mahusay’s friends from North Baluarte and Ticud hours prior the incident. They were immediately pacified by barangay officials.
The person of interest, meanwhile, denied Saturday (Aug. 7) his involvement in the shooting, saying he went home after the birthday party.
To recall, the victims, along with other friends, were binge drinking inside the store of the Mahusay family. Around 1:30 a.m., bursts of gunfire were heard.
Ten empty shells of a .45 pistol were recovered from the crime scene.
“We have no witnesses…when the incident happened there was no person around,” said Ladublan. “We are calling those who saw the incident to help us.”/PN
