By Jennifer P. Rendon
Jealousy allegedly drove a man to kill his former live-in partner’s current lover on the afternoon of February 4 in Santa Barbara, Iloilo.
Ronald Susbilla, a resident of Barangay Dalid, Santa Barbara, fled after killing Rodito Celis, 45, of Barangay Omambog, Santa Barbara.
According to police reports, Susbilla went to the house of Maymay, his ex-live-in partner, in Barangay Dalid.
Susbilla and Celis had a brief conversation.
Shortly after, Susbilla pulled out a gun and shot Celis three times.
Celis was hit only once and managed to flee toward the national highway.
However, Susbilla chased him down and caught up.
He then shot Celis several more times, hitting him in different parts of the body.
The victim was rushed to Western Visayas Sanitarium and General Hospital in Santa Barbara but was declared dead on arrival.
Staff Sergeant Val Carlo Jaruyan, a Santa Barbara police investigator, said the incident appeared to be a crime of passion.
There were reports that Maymay had been pregnant with Celis’ child.
However, for unknown reasons, the pregnancy did not continue.
Information also suggested that she could have been pregnant with Susbilla’s child.
Jaruyan said police are still investigating what exactly provoked Celis to kill Susbilla.
