One killed, another hurt in shooting incident along Davao del Sur highway

Leo Cuarisma lay dead in the passenger seat of a truck after a gun attack on Wednesday afternoon  (September 7, 2022) in Hagonoy, Davao del Sur. | PHOTO: Hagonoy Police Station

DIGOS CITY — The passenger of an Isuzu Elf truck died on the spot while the driver was slightly injured following a shooting incident along the national highway in Hagonoy town in Davao del Sur on Wednesday afternoon.

Police Lieutenant Joselito Cortes, acting Hagonoy police chief, identified the injured driver as Roy Niel Mallari Diolata, of Sta. Maria, Davao Occidental, while the dead passenger is Leo Cuarisma, 59, also known as Eyoy, also of Sta. Maria, Davao Occidental.

Diolata told Hagonoy police investigators that he and Cuarisma were traveling to Padada town in Davao del Sur when two still unidentified men aboard a motorcycle fired a handgun from the right side of the vehicle.

The incident happened at around 12:40 p.m. in Barangay Guihing.

Although hit, Diolata managed to park the vehicle safely on the road shoulder. He told probers that the attackers were wearing crash helmets, making them difficult to identify.

He said he was not able to look at the plate number of the motorcycle as he focused on maneuvering the truck.

Diolata was rushed to Davao del Sur Provincial Hospital in Digos City for immediate medical treatment while the body of Cuarisma was brought to a funeral parlor.

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