2 dead, including gunman, in shooting rampage in Oriental Mindoro jail

CITY OF CALAPAN — Two detainees, including the inmate who held the gun, were killed and five others were injured in a shooting incident early morning Tuesday inside a holding cell at the Oriental Mindoro Provincial Jail in this city, according to a report from Mimaropa police.

Ricky Rom, prison guard I, reported to police that at about 2 a.m., while everyone was sleeping, suspect Edison Sampaga, 41, shot Lowelyn Mendoza, 36, several times with a 9mm caliber pistol in Selda 1 of the provincial jail in Barangay (village) Camilmil.

The suspect fired several times, also hitting the other inmates identified as Jeffrey delos Reyes, 37; Christian Licuan, 45; Hector Abes, 41; Mark dela Cruz, 42; and Alberto Ebueza, 21, before he shot himself.

The victims and the suspect were taken to the provincial hospital for treatment but suspect Sampaga and Mendoza died while on the way there.

Recovered from the crime scene were 10 fired cartridge cases, a deformed bullet, five bullet fragments, a cellphone unit, and a black inside the holster.

The remains of Mendoza were brought to Naujan Funeral Homes for post mortem-examination while the suspect’s remains are still at Oriental Mindoro Provincial Hospital morgue, according to the report.

The firearm used is under police custody and will be submitted to the Regional Crime Laboratory Office 4-B for ballistic examination. It is still unknown where and how the suspect got the gun.

Investigation is ongoing. Police are looking into the possibility that the suspect was suffering from depression.