2 hurt in neighborhood gunfight in Rizal

Residents of Barangay San Roque in Rizal's Teresa town fled in alarm after two neighbors, who were allegedly involved in illegal drugs, started shooting at each other.

According to Emil Sumangil’s Monday “24 Oras” report, the two suspects got into a heated discussion, which then escalated into both of them pulling out guns and shooting.

A 19-year-old bystander named “Daisy”, who was recording the incident, was wounded in the exchange of gunfire. Also hurt during the shootout was her 24-year-old cousin.

“Masakit pa po ang tahi, kumikirot po,” said Daisy.

(My injuries hurt.)

“Nung time po na naglabas ng baril, tumakbo na po kami ng mommy ko pa-kanto," she added. "Siguro ang bala tumama sa pader. Sa akin po bumanda ang bala. Sumigaw na ako, 'May tama ang ulo ko, paki tingnan.'”

(My mother and I ran away after we saw the guns. I suppose the bullet ricocheted off the wall and hit me. I yelled, "I think I've been shot in the head, please check.")

The victims were rushed to hospital for medical treatment.

“Nakakatakot talaga. Talagang nawala tsinelas ko nung manakbo ako sa labas. Hindi ko alam na wala ako tsinelas sa takot,” Gladys Revilla, Daisy’s mother, said.

(We were scared. I ran away out of fear, not noticing that I didn’t have slippers on.)

Authorities nabbed one of the suspects who was also shot in the belly, while the other suspect escaped.

The arrested suspect faces frustrated murder charges.

GMA Integrated News reached out to the suspect but he has yet to issue a statement.

Meanwhile, police are eyeing illegal drugs as the possible reason for the gunfight. However, they are also looking at other reasons for the shooting.

“Itong mga tao na ito, involved sa droga. Based sa investigation namin, nagkasagutan itong grupo na ito, dun na nagkabarilan at nagkaputukan,” Police Major Edsel Macasero, Teresa, Rizal Chief of police, said.

(They are involved in illegal drugs. Based on our investigation, the group had a heated discussion that escalated to a shootout.) — Sundy Locus/DVM/NB, GMA Integrated News