Businesswoman survives gun attack in Kalinga

TABUK CITY, KALINGA – A 48-year-old businesswoman survived a gun attack over the weekend in front of a bank at a public market in this province, police said on Monday.

Josephine Vargas-Javier, of Mayangao street in Dagupan Centro village here, was shot in the right shoulder by a motorcycle-riding gunman around 6:30 p.m. Sunday in Barangay Bulanao, and has been recuperating at a hospital.

An initial police report showed Javier was standing in front of a bank after closing her stall when the gunman drove by and fired at her several times. Forensic investigators found five bullet shells fired from a cal. 45-handgun at the crime scene.

Police said the suspect tried to speed away but his motorcycle malfunctioned, forcing him to flee on foot. Authorities were still looking into the possible motive behind Javier’s attack, as of this posting.    /kga