By Jennifer P. Rendon
A 57-year-old man was arrested for shooting his niece’s live-in partner on the afternoon of April 1 in Balasan, Iloilo.
Alias “Rolly,” a resident of Purok 1, Barangay Aranjuez, Balasan, was apprehended during a hot pursuit operation in nearby Barangay Tingui-an.
The suspect was shirtless and casually walking by the roadside when Balasan police officers caught up with him.
Rolly admitted to shooting his 34-year-old neighbor, alias “Robert.”
Reports said Robert was at the house of their relative, Hernane, when the suspect arrived.
Robert was with his partner, alias “Irish,” Rolly’s niece, and their 8-year-old daughter when the incident happened.
The suspect was already holding a handgun when he appeared at the scene.
He pointed the gun at the victim and pulled the trigger.
The first attempt failed to fire, and when he tried again, someone pushed the weapon away.
The gun discharged, hitting the victim in the thigh.
Rolly fled immediately after the shooting.
Capt. Renzo Martinez, Balasan police chief, said the suspect confessed that he intended to kill the victim.
“He said he would have surrendered if Robert had died, but since he survived, he decided to escape,” Martinez said.
The two men reportedly had a long-standing grudge dating back to 2013.
Police said there was no argument or confrontation immediately before the incident.
The suspect is now in police custody as authorities prepare to file charges against him.
