Barangay official shoots, injures burglary suspect

A barangay councilor shot and wounded a man accused of breaking  into a  sari-sari store at dawn in Duljo-Fatima, Cebu City.

Jesus Alicaya, a councilor in the barangay, told police that he was forced to shoot Rochele Camuta, 23, after the man  drew a gun when the barangay councilor  responded to a theft alarm around 3 a.m. yesterday.

Police said Camuta, a barangay resident,  broke into the store owned by Leslee Miñoza Lapuz.

Lapuz was awakened by a noise coming from the store and went there to check.

She surprised Camuta  who allegedly hit her head with a beer bottle.  The store owner shouted for help.

Alicaya rushed to the store armed with a  .45 caliber pistol.  He told  police that when he arrived there,  Camuta drew a .38 caliber revolver from his waist.

Seeing this, the barangay councilor  said he shot the young man  in the hip then later helped bring the wounded Camuta to the Cebu City Medical Center. The store owner was treated for a head wound.

Mambaling police recovered a .38 revolver with three bullets in the store.

Alicaya turned over his firearm to the  police for the investigation./CORRESPONDENT CHITO O. ARAGON