By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

The group of minors who were recently fired upon by unidentified gunmen at the Celine Homes Subdivision in Barangay Estefania, Bacolod City are now considered suspected members of the notorious ‘akyat bahay’ gang.

In a radio interview yesterday afternoon, Barangay Estefania Captain Jerry Tingson said the involved minors, some of whom are residents of Barangay Villamonte, were known to climb the walls of homes within the subdivision, along neighboring puroks in the barangay.

The barangay official added, the minors are suspected to be involved in hold-up incidents, targeting those who display their mobile phones in public.

He added, there are also suspicions the minors are drug users.

Tingson also pointed out, the involved minors are out-of-school youth and are usually seen during the early morning hours, not during the daytime. He noted, the group’s leader was earlier apprehended by local tanods but eventually escaped from the city’s Social Development Center and has not been spotted since.

Last Sunday, a 15-year-old minor was killed after his group was fired upon by motorcycle-riding gunmen.

Police identified the fatality as Regie John Semillano, a resident of the said barangay. Also wounded in the incident was 15-year-old Dominic Espinosa, also a resident of the said area.

The Police Station 4-Women and Children’s Protection Desk is presently conducting an investigation into the shooting./DGB, WDJ