Cop kills one, injures one in Ifugao gunfight

LAMUT, Ifugao – A 35-year-old man died while his 28-year old cousin was hurt when a policeman returned fire at them after they attempted to shoot him in front of a videoke bar at Barangay Payawan here recently.

Supt. Davy Vicente Limmong, spokesperson of the Police Regional Office in the Cordillera, identified the fatality as Euneljun Lindao Calibuso, 35, male, married, and a resident of Barangay Ambasa here while his injured cousin was named as Gilbert Lindao Martin, 28, single, and a resident of Barangay Pieza, also in Lamut.

“The suspect in the latest shooting incident involving a policeman was identified asPO1 Jordan Mason Puguon, 34, single, assigned at the National Capital Region Police Office and native of Pindongan, Kiangan, Ifugao,”  Limmong said.

Probers said Puguon went to visit his friend Jacky Puguon, the cashier of the said Videoke Bar.

When he was about to leave the place on his XRM motorcycle, the victims, who came riding a motorcycle, arrived at the place. 

Without provocation and recognizing Puguon as a policeman, the victims told the latter that if he had a gun, they  have also had a gun in their possession.

With this statement, Calibuso, drew a short firearm and shot  Puguon twice but missed.

Limmong added the policeman retaliated by firing his licensed Cal .45 Pistol and shot Calibuso who died on the spot.

The other victim, Martin, tried to help his companion and when he was about to take the firearm of Calibuso, Puguon also fired at him.

Martin sustained a gunshot wound on his body and was brought to Panopdopan District Hospital and was transferred to the Veterans Regional Hospital, Bayombong, Nueva, Vizcaya where he is undergoing treatment.

Puguon voluntarily surrendered to police of Kiangan Municipal Police Station and was turned over to the responding personnel of the Lamut police,

Police collected two spent shells and a bullet for Cal 45, one  357 handgun, two spent shells and two bullets in the gun.

Further investigation revealed that prior to the incident,  Martin and Calibuso were involved in a case of grave threats that transpired earlier on the day.

Limmong said probers are still conducting further investigation on the cases against the victims and the suspect prior to the filing of necessary charges against them.