By Jennifer P. Rendon
A jail guard voluntarily surrendered after he allegedly shot a jeepney driver noon of September 17 at Jaro, Iloilo City.
Senior Jail Officer (SJO) 1 Reynaldo Palma, 52, a resident of Zone 4, Barangay Ungka, Jaro, turned himself in to Iloilo City Police Station 3 at around 4:30 p.m.
Palma, who is assigned to the Iloilo District Jail in Barangay Nanga, Pototan, Iloilo, also turned over his caliber .9mm Glock 17 pistol (serial number AENN936) with one magazine loaded with 3 ammunition.
The jail guard was accused of killing a public utility jeepney (PUJ) driver after the latter allegedly hacked his common-law wife’s brother.
The victim, Hernani Caspillo Jr., 35, of Barangay San Isidro, Jaro, instantly succumbed to at least five gunshot wounds on his body, four of which were on his back.
Prior to the shooting episode, Caspillo allegedly attacked his partner’s elder brother Ramil Jacome, a barangay tanod in their village.
Initial investigation showed that while Jacome was on a drinking spree at a birthday party in Zone 5, Barangay Ungka, Caspillo attacked him with a bolo.
Jacome was hit on the head and back of his body.
Shortly later, five successive guns shots were heard. A blooded Castillo was later seen sprawled on the ground.
Police initially did not name the suspect or suspects who shot Caspillo.
There were reports that Caspillo was shot with the use of a caliber .45 pistol and caliber .9mm pistol.
Even his live-in partner, Cristy, believed initial reports that it was her brother’s friends who shot the victim.
According to Cristy, the bad blood between Caspillo and her family began as the latter was opposed to her relationship with the victim.
It was gathered that Cristy is married to someone else.
It went to a point that the couple agreed not to allow Castillo to set foot at Zone 5.
After more than a year of living in the area, the couple relocated somewhere else.
But he apparently went against the agreement and went to the “forbidden” area.
Cristy surmised that there might be a reason that triggered her partner to go to Zone 5.
She admitted that her husband had a few drinks prior to the incident.
Police have yet to confirm reports that Castillo has record for engaging in illegal drugs.
He was reported to have been accused of threatening a resident work a bolo.
