By Jennifer P. Rendon
String of criminal charges were filed against the man who admitted to shooting a village watchman and his live-in partner at a quarantine facility in Oton, Iloilo on February 26.
Staff Sergeant Johannes Sorongon, Oton police investigator, said that an inquest case for murder, frustrated murder, and theft were slapped against 33-year-old Melchor Amigable, Jr. at the Iloilo Provincial Prosecutors Office on Saturday.
So far, only Amigable’s sister had visited him in jail after he was arrested in a follow-up operation at Barangay Lambuyao, Oton, Iloilo.
The suspect fled after he stormed the barangay hall of Mambog, Oton around 2:50 a.m. Friday last week.
The village hall served as a quarantine facility for locally-stranded individuals and returning overseas Filipinos (ROFs)
Amigable allegedly shot barangay tanod Noli Legada, 56, who died instantly.
The suspect then shot his live-in partner, 27-year-old Mylene Peronce, who was roused from her sleep after hearing a gun fire.
Peronce was quarantined at the barangay since she was a returning overseas Filipino. She survived the shooting.
The suspect fled but not after rummaging through Peronce’s bag and taking her cash amounting to P61,000, jewelry, watches, mobile phone, and tablets.
Amigable also brought with him the weapon he used, a 12-gauge shotgun, as he left the crime scene.
Police later recovered the weapon and Peronce’s valuables.
A remorseful Amigable said that it was not his plan to shoot Peronce, more so to kill Legada.
“I was just carried by my emotion,” he said in vernacular. “Maybe, because I love her so much.”
The couple has two daughters – a Grade 5 and a Grade 3 pupil – who are now staying at Amigable’s parents.
Peronce worked abroad almost three years ago.
But the suspect claimed he’s been hearing that she found another man.
In fact, he saw a picture of her with another man taken at Rizal Park.
The man was allegedly from San Joaquin, Iloilo. He even used Peronce’s photo as his Facebook account’s profile picture, Amigable noted.
Peronce and the man allegedly blocked Amigable on Facebook.
Amigable also asked forgiveness from the families of his victims. He later shed tears as he talked about the future of his kids.
He also denied taking any of his partner’s valuables.
He said he just wanted to see her mobile phone to confirm his hunch about her having another man.
‘JEALOUS, SADIST’
Peronce confirmed to her family and village officials’ claims that Amigable is a jealous man.
She narrated that they lived together since 2014 but soon after, the man has been physically hurting her.
In 2017, she decided to end her relationship with him. At that time, they were staying in Passi City.
Police had to escort her and their two children until they went home in Oton.
Peronce admitted to having a chat mate from Pavia in 2019 but they didn’t even meet.
Peronce decided to work in Saudi Arabia and met another chat mate from San Joaquin town while she was in Manila. But she said that it only happened once.
She admitted working abroad to elude Amigable.
It was on purpose that she did not inform him about her trip home, since she’s been receiving threats from him through text messages.
Peronce said she will pursue criminal charges against Amigable.
