By Jennifer P. Rendon
A fracas among bar customers in Pavia, Iloilo, resulted in a shooting that claimed the life of a 28-year-old welder early Thursday.
The incident occurred just outside Vergo Bar at Barangay Ungka 2, Pavia, around 12:15 a.m. on July 25.
The victim, identified only as Jimmy, a welder from San Miguel, Iloilo, was with his group at the bar, along with the suspects who were also customers.
The groups were seated far apart and did not know each other, according to Major Dadje Delima, Pavia police chief. No misunderstanding or confrontation took place inside the bar.
Both groups left the bar at almost the same time. As they exited, one of the suspects accidentally bumped into the victim, sparking a heated argument between the two groups.
Delima said Jimmy was with three friends, while the suspects numbered seven. Two of the suspects initially left and were unaware of the commotion.
The bar owner claimed the victim was holding a barbecue stick and CCTV footage showed Jimmy was drunk and apparently instigated the incident until it escalated.
The footage also revealed that Jimmy ran toward the two suspects. Upon seeing him, one of the suspects, identified as alias Kitboy, pulled a gun and shot him.
Jimmy was hit in the head and was rushed to the nearby Asia Pacific Medical Hospital but was declared dead on arrival.
Delima reported that they have identified the gunman, a former barangay tanod from Barangay Tacas, Jaro, Iloilo City.
The other suspects were identified as Janiel, Raffy, Lloyd, Elias, and Allan, also residents of Tacas village.
Police have already spoken to the families of the seven suspects and have received surrender feelers from some of them.
