Newsbriefs

Gunfight at airport

CEBU CITY—An airport policeman was wounded in a gunfight with his superiors late Thursday inside a police office at the Mactan Cebu International Airport.

PO2 Winston Ybañez, Lapu-Lapu City homicide investigator, identified the injured airport policeman as Esmeraldo Pongasi Binsi, 51, of Babag 2, Lapu-Lapu City.

Two other policemen who allegedly shot him were identified as Pio Alvarez, 48, of Nivel Hills, Apas, Cebu City and Clarito Alvarez, 50, of Pajac, Lapu-Lapu City. They were detained at the Lapu-Lapu City police station.

Ybanez quoted the two Alvarezes, who were not related, as saying Binsi was upset about the disappearance of a report that he prepared and was looking for.

An argument ensued that led to Binsi drawing his .45 cal. pistol and shooting the two Alvarezes, according to Ybanez.

Binsi, however, missed. Clarito drew his

9 mm pistol and fired at Binsi, hitting Binsi in the neck and back. Ybanez said Clarito admitted firing his gun but the other Alvarez, Pio, was tested for gunpowder traces to determine if he, too, fired his gun.

Binsi was brought to the Mactan Doctors Hospital for treatment.

Jhunnex Napallacan, Inquirer Visayas

Fans hurt in mishap

FIFTEEN persons on their way to a talent show were injured when the pickup they were riding crashed into a tree and fell into a ravine in Balamban, a town at least 63 km west of this city late Thursday, according to police.

The talent show fans, police said, were riding a pickup in Barangay Cantibas in Balamban that first crashed into a tree then fell into a 10-foot ravine along a barangay road past 9 p.m. on Thursday.

The injured fans, said PO2 Hannibal Larida, were on their way to the town proper to watch the “Balamban Got Talent” show. Jhunnex Napallacan, Inquirer Visayas