By Jennifer P. Rendon
A 39-year-old sugarcane plantation worker was shot dead by his neighbor evening of Nov 8, 2021 in Passi City, Iloilo.
Suspect Ronel Maravilla was still in his house at Barangay Agdahon, Passi City, when responding police arrived.
The victim, 35-year-old Reno Clemente, was rushed to Don Valerio Plamares Sr. District Hospital in Passi City but was declared dead on arrival.
Lieutenant Colonel Dennis Pamonag, Passi City police chief, said Clemente was drunk when the incident happened.
Clemente allegedly uttered words that provoked Maravilla to fire his gun.
When Clemente heard the gunfire, he went out of their house and confronted his neighbor.
Maravilla was in their front yard while the victim was outside his fence when they argued.
At the height of their argument, Maravilla shot Clemente with a homemade 12-gauge shotgun.
The victim succumbed to multiple pellet wounds on the head and different parts of his body.
The neighbors have been at odds with each other after the victim’s carabao grazed on the suspect’s rice field plantation.
The complaint reached the barangay, and the victim was fined P200.
Pamonag said the episode started the bad blood between the two neighbors.
Maravilla is now detained at the lock-up cell of Passi City PNP pending the filing of charges against him.
