BACOLOD CITY - A man was gunned down in front of his wife and three children while defending his brother in Barangay Ma-ao, Bago City, Negros Occidental on Monday, Feb. 21.
Police identified the victim as Efraim Alinsoring, 30, of Barangay Binubuhan.
Based on a closed circuit television (CCTV) camera footage, the alleged gunman, Jonas Luhan, 30, of Barangay Bacong arrived on board a motorcycle driven by his nephew Renejon Flores, 20, of Barangay Bacong.
When Luhan disembarked from the motorcycle, he then kicked Alinsoring's brother, prompting the victim to punch Luhan, who fell to the ground.
When Luhan stood up, he drew his firearm and allegedly shot Alinsoring at close range, then fired another shot against the latter's brother, who was not hit.
Alinsoring's wife, carrying their baby, and their two children, were sitting on a tricycle when the incident happened.
Alinsoring's father, who also witnessed the incident, tried to run after the suspects but failed as Luhan was armed.
Police Lt. Col. Joem Malong, Bago City police chief, said Alinsoring succumbed to a lone gunshot wound in the stomach.
Malong said that while the two suspects were fleeing, a soldier who was also in the area, managed to shoot Flores after mistaking him for a member of a Special Partisan Unit (Sparu).
Flores was wounded and was arrested in a hospital here, while Luhan was later arrested at his residence in Barangay Bacong on the same day.
Police, however, failed to recover the firearm used in the shooting.
Prior to the killing, Malong said that Luhan and Alinsoring's brother figured in an altercation due to a parking space in front of the hardware.
Luhan went home and later returned to the area and started shooting.
Murder and attempted murder charges were already filed against both suspects.
Police Staff Master Sgt. Job Ogares, case investigator of Bago City Police Station, said that Luhan had a previous frustrated murder case filed against him by a barangay captain in Bacong.
Ogares said that Luhan also had a previous case in Murcia town, while Flores had no criminal record.