ORMOC CITY– A man with multiple gunshot wounds, discovered along a national road in Barangay Lipanto, Saint Bernard, Southern Leyte, died while receiving medical attention late Tuesday evening, October 1.
Residents found the unidentified man around 10:30 pm, wearing a white t-shirt and black jogger pants, and immediately reported the incident to local authorities.
The barangay chairman of Lipanto alerted the police, prompting a response led by Chief of Police Major Aldous Dexter Roa.
Upon arriving at the scene, officers found the victim’s hands bound with a charger cord, and his mouth wrapped in a mask, which was reportedly removed by the first responders.
The man had sustained gunshot wounds to his stomach and back, and although he appeared lifeless, first responders noted that he was still conscious upon their arrival.
In his final moments, the victim managed to speak in the local dialect, “I am from San Jose, Sogod. I was shot and thrown from a van. I am tired.”
Dr. Karen Villanueva, rural health unit officer of Saint Bernard, was called to the scene to provide medical assistance, but despite efforts to save him, the victim was pronounced dead.
The Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) from the Southern Leyte Provincial Forensic Unit have been requested to process the crime scene.
Meanwhile, the Saint Bernard Municipal Police Station has launched an in-depth investigation and is coordinating with nearby police stations for a dragnet operation aimed at identifying and apprehending the suspects responsible for the crime.
(ROBERT DEJON)
