Farmer survives attack by drinking buddy in Zamboanga Sibugay

INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga del Sur — A farmer in Alicia town, Zamboanga Sibugay province survived an attack by his drinking buddy, who used an improvised gun.

Captain Richard Rodolfo Pataueg, Alicia police chief, identified the farmer as Rogelio Cobico Arevalo, 60, a widower, who resides in Barangay Milagrosa.

Arevalo and his neighbor Antonito Villaruz Ogatis, 35, were having a drinking session at 8:40 p.m. on Wednesday outside the house of another neighbor when the latter suddenly shot him with a ‘sumpak.’

Arevalo suffered gunshot wounds in the abdomen and immediately fled to avoid further injury. Ogatis then escaped to the bushy area to avoid arrest.

Arevalo was rushed by Milagrosa barangay officials to the Alicia District Hospital for immediate treatment and later transferred to a hospital in Zamboanga City for further medical attention.

Pataueg said the police did not recover any evidence at the crime scene.

A manhunt had been launched against Ogatis.

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