CEBU CITY -- A suspected snatcher was gunned down by a barangay tanod on New Imus Road in Barangay Lorega San Miguel, Cebu City at dawn Monday, All Souls’ Day.

Eric M. Fuentes, 25, who lived in Purok 5, Barangay Camput-haw was found by the police lying face down by the road of New Imus Road with a gunshot wound in the forehead. The slug that tore Fuentes’ forehead exited behind his head.

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The gunman, identified by the police as Ryan Mabaga, a tanod of Barangay Lorega San Miguel, reportedly went into hiding after killing Fuentes at 4:45 a.m.

Five sachets of white crystalline substance believed to be shabu were recovered from Fuentes’s pocket. A black toy gun was also found near Fuentes’ body.

Witnesses’ accounts gathered by homicide investigators on the circumstances of the attack indicated that Fuentes was killed without provocation.

He was shot dead in front of his two younger brothers and two other people.

Cleo, the 19-year-old brother of Fuentes, told the homicide team of SPO2 Geoffrey Gutual that they were idling the dawn away at the center island of the road when they saw Mabaga appear from an alley and approach Fuentes, who was sitting on a gutter near a pedestrian lane.

Mabaga, who was with a companion, pointed a gun at Fuentes.

Fuentes and another man, who was with him, scampered but were chased by Mabaga who fired at them.

Fuentes was found slumped on the pavement. Mabaga continued firing at Fuentes’s companion but missed.

Eric’s sister Geralyn, in a separate interview, said her brother even tried to stop Mabaga from shooting him by holding his hands up.

Mabaga allegedly ignored the appeal.

Cebu City Police Office Director Patrocinio Comendador told Sun.Star Cebu that the police are negotiating for Mabaga to surrender.

The police have coordinated with the barangay officials in Lorega to help persuade Mabaga to surrender and face the charges against him.

Initial police information said it was not the first time Mabaga got involved in shooting incidents.

During the interview Monday, Geralyn said her brother Fuentes may have been jobless but he was not a snatcher.

Camputhaw Barangay Captain Lorenzo Basamot told Sun.Star Cebu that Fuentes had been jailed twice for petty crimes.

He said Fuentes had a reputation in the barangay as one who had brushes with the law.

Basamot said he had once called Fuentes’s attention to shape up. (JTG/Sun.Star Cebu)