Goat thief slain by his own gun

OCAMPO, Camarines Sur--- The motorcycle driver supposed to ferry a goat stolen by his accomplice was killed by his own gun after he shot and injured an ex-Marine soldier during a confrontation with bystanders who blocked his way in Barangay San Antonio here in the evening of Friday, Jan. 17.

Captain Bernardo Peñero, Ocampo Municipal Police Station (MPS) chief, identified the slain suspect as Luis Orobia, 37, of Barangay Matnog, Daraga, Albay, and the wounded ex-Marine as Anthony Baldomino of Barangay Ayugan, Ocampo, Camarines Sur.

Peñero said that Orobia was the driver of the getaway motorcycle which was supposed to be used by his accomplice, Jojo Dela Torre, in transporting the stolen goat.

Peñero narrated that before the suspect died, Rolando Reniva, 30, owner of the goat, reported to a barangay tanod that he saw an unidentified man took away his animal.

The police chief said that the tanod together with bystanders, including Baldomino tried looking for the goat thief. While looking for the thief, they saw Orobia aboard a motorcycle near the area.

Baldomino together with the other men blocked Orobia's way, causing the latter to draw his caliber 38 pistol and warned the men "badilon ko kamo!" (I'll shoot you!). Minutes later, he shot Baldomino in his genital area. The police officer further said that Baldomino, before being shot, pushed Orobia and they fell to the ground. Baldomino and the other men tried to grab the firearm from the thief when they heard a gunshot, which caused them to step backwards, giving the suspect a chance to escape.

Witnesses said the suspect while running suddenly fell down and died. When responding cops examined his body, they saw a gunshot wound in the right part of his body, which caused his death.

Police personnel recovered at the crime scene the pistol and the suspect's personal phone which helped them identify and arrest Orobia’s alleged accomplice, Dela Torre, of Barangay San Juan, Pili, Camarines Sur.

"The phone, which was already at the hands of the police authorities, received a text message stating "halaton taka nalang sa 7-Eleven kan Ocampo" (I'll wait for you at the 7- Eleven in Ocampo). So we conducted an entrapment operation where Dela Torre was arrested, and now behind bars facing a qualified theft case" Peñero said.

Police did not say if Orobia accidentally shot himself while Baldomino and the other guys were grappling for the gun or one of the men who mobbed Orobia shot him in the process.