By Jennifer P. Rendon
Wrong place, wrong time.
A farmer was shot dead evening of Nov 15, 2022 in Laua-an, Antique.
Marcelo Jungco, 45, of Barangay Casit-an, Laua-an, succumbed to a lone gunshot injury on the chest.
Prior to the shooting episode, the victim went to the rice field to check on his palay.
Initial reports stated that the suspect was unidentified.
But later on, a woman reported to the police that she witnessed the incident.
Senior Master Sergeant Cris Dava, Laua-an police investigator, said that the witness admitted that she was with the suspect when Jungco saw them.
The suspect, who turned out to be her lover, was the one who shot Jungco.
“They were apparently taken by surprise when the victim saw them,” Dava said.
The witness is Jungco’s distant relative.
On the other hand, the suspect, whose identity was temporarily withheld, is married to Jungco’s other relative.
The victim allegedly confronted the duo and a heated argument ensued.
At the height of their verbal tussle, the suspect pulled a gun and shot him.
At that time, the witness claimed she already scampered.
A village official informed the police station about what happened.
Responding policemen and personnel from the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO) brought the victim to Pedro L Gindap Memorial Hospital in Barbaza town but he was declared dead on arrival.
Dava said they are yet to file a case against the suspect.