By Jennifer P. Rendon
Police are asking for public assistance in the shooting to death of a 19-year-old lad in Jaro, Iloilo City on Black Saturday, April 3, 2021.
The victim, Carl Dominic Labuson, a resident of Barangay Carimayor, Leganes, Iloilo, was killed by a robber he was trying to chase near the entrance of Metropolis Subdivision in Barangay Tagbac, Jaro, around 7:30 p.m.
Captain Eduardo Siacon, Jaro police chief, said Labuson was immediately rushed to Metro Iloilo Hospital and Medical Center, Inc., which is just inside the village.
His father, Leganes Sangguniang Bayan member Larry Labuson, immediately went to the hospital but only to learn that his son succumbed to a gunshot wound on the right temple and chest.
The victim was a college student taking up a Maritime course.
Police investigation indicated that the incident stemmed from a robbery incident in nearby Leganes town.
Labuson and his younger sister went for a ride on his motorcycle to the town proper area. He left her sister at a convenience store while he went to a nearby gasoline station to fill up the motorcycle.
But before he could even tank up, he heard a shout from a woman at the nearby Jardeleza Arcade.
Labuson then saw a man who appeared to be trying to rob a woman before speeding away.
The victim allegedly left the area and chased the suspect.
When they reached Metropolis area, the suspect slowed down after seeing a police mobile patrol several meters away.
Police officers apparently responded to a vehicular incident in the area.
It was at that juncture that Labuson showed up shouting, “Dulog, dulog.” (Stop, stop).
“The tricycle drivers plying the area thought that it was a case of road rage,” Siacon said.
True enough, the suspect stopped only to pull his gun out and shot Labuson twice.
The assailant drove and aimed his motorcycle headlight at the victim, as if checking if Labuson was still alive, witnesses said.
He then sped away.
Siacon said one of the witnesses was the president of the tricycle drivers’ association in the area.
He said they could have done something if the victim only shouted that he was running after a hold-upper.
NO LEADS YET
Siacon said they are still looking for leads to identify the gunman who shot dead Labuson.
Police already sent a request to at least three establishments at the scene for their CCTV footage.
However, they claimed that the earliest they could provide the footage is on Monday.
“We’re tracking down on his possible escape routes to get more leads,” he added.
Just a few hours before he was killed, Labuson was professing his love for his girlfriend over social media platform Facebook.
A motorcycle-riding enthusiast, Labuson was described by his family as someone who couldn’t just stand watching someone getting bullied or taken advantage of.
