Two bystanders wounded as battered man misses shot on targets

By Jennifer P. Rendon

It started out with a father-and-son tandem ganging up on their co-worker for snitching them to their employer.

The snitch, Romonick Laranja, 30, caretaker at Golden Grey Agri Supply, was physically battered after his two fellow workers took turns in mauling him morning of July 22, 2022.

Armed with a 12-gauge shotgun, Laranja didn’t take it in stride and wanted to exact revenge on his attackers.

But Laranja’s aim hit two complete strangers.

Luckily, Gerald Labordo, 32, a resident of Barangay Manaolan, Badiangan, Iloilo and Jerry Pama, 61, of Barangay Catoogan, Pototan, only suffered graze wounds.

Labordo, an ambulant fish vendor, was just passing by the area when Laranja fired the shotgun.

Pama was taking his morning coffee at a roadside eatery near the suspect’s workplace when the incident happened.

According to Major Roy Tayona, Pototan police chief, there was a commotion inside the Golden Grey Agri Supply located at Barangay Dapitan around 6:30 a.m. of Friday.

Leo Doloria, the company driver, allegedly approached Laranja and confronted the latter for snitching them to their employer.

The suspect told Doloria to just wait for their employer to talk things over.

But at the height of their argument, Doloria’s son, alias Intsik, punched Laranja.

The duo then manhandled the suspect before fleeing.

Laranja immediately grabbed his shotgun and ran after his attackers.

He aimed at his assailants but hit the two bystanders instead.

Labordo and Pama were immediately rushed to Iloilo Provincial Hospital for treatment.

The suspect was arrested in a hot pursuit operation.

Laranja was first treated at the same hospital before he was put behind bars.

He will be charged for frustrated homicide with the use of unlicensed firearm.