by Gemi Formaran LUCENA CITY - Four men were killed while two others, uncluding village chief, was wounded when an unidentified pistol- wie...
LUCENA CITY - Four men were killed while two others, uncluding village chief, was wounded when an unidentified pistol- wielding man suddenly opened fire in the middle of a funeral wake at Bgy. Ilog, in the coastal town of Infanta in Northern Quezon on Wednesday night.
Quezon police director, Senior Supt. Osmundo de Guzman identified those killed as Michael Cuento, 50, his cousins Herman, 70 and Leon, 73; and Manuel Cuerdo, 41, all residents of said village.
While those who sustained bullet wounds were Napoleon Miras, 68, chairman of Brgy.Poblacion 1 and Maximo Cuento, 65.
De Guzman said the incident happened at 8:45 p.m. while the victims were attending the funeral wake of a neighbor.
From nowhere, De Guzman said the suspect armed with a cal. 45 pistol suddenly appeared in the wake and without saying a word, quickly opened fire hitting all the victims.
He said all the victims were rushed to Claro M. Recto Memorial District but the four were pronounced dead on arrival.
De Guzman said police investigation initially showed that Michael was the target of the lone gun man and the rest were just collateral damage.
“After falling on the ground, the suspect stepped closer to Michael and pumped more bullets hitting the latter in the head and body. This indicates that Michael was the target”, said de Guzman.
He said after confirming that Michael was already dead, the suspect quickly fled on get- away motorcycle driven by a cohort.
Police operatives are still tracking them down.
It was learned that Michael was an employee of the municipal government before he engaged in a quarry operation and before he became the table mananger of Pirouette Corporation, the company that operates the Small Town Lottery in the town.
Police record shows that in 2016, Michael was ambushed and wounded but luckily survived.
Police learned that the attack had something to do with his job in the gambling operation after they arrested the gun who up to now is detained at the Quezon District Jail.
In 2017, Michael’ s lady employee at the company was gunned down by unidentified perpetrator.
