By Jennifer P. Rendon
A cane cutter died after he was repeatedly shot morning of Oct 24, 2022 in Lemery, Iloilo.
Police identified the victim as Joefrey Acopio, 35, a resident of Barangay San Antonio, Lemery.
Police reports indicated that Acopio was at the house of his friend, Nolito Nim, 37, also a cane cutter, when the shooting incident happened.
The two were waiting for their fellow sugarcane plantation workers when Ricky Peñaflorida, arrived around 7:30 a.m. Monday on board his motorcycle.
Lieutenant Jose Winston Biadog, Lemery police chief, said Peñaflorida, without apparent reason or cause, repeatedly shot the victims with a caliber .9mm pistol.
Nim was wounded after getting hit by a stray bullet
Peñaflorida immediately fled towards the hinterland area of Dumarao, Capiz. He remains at large as of this writing.
The two victims were rushed to Sara District Hospital but Acopio did not pull through.
He succumbed to gunshot injuries on the left side of his back, right shoulder, and right portion of his chest.
Nim was referred to Western Visayas Medical Center for an injury on the right side of his abdomen.
Biadog said Acopio’s father claimed that old grudges may have triggered the incident.
But police investigators are looking into others angles, as well.
Biadog said they received reports that Peñaflorida was suspecting that Acopio was the one who stole his chickens and ducks at his backyard poultry.
Biadog said they have yet to receive surrender feelers from the suspect.
