Bad hair day: Barber’s killer shot dead in jail

ILOILO CITY—The man who hacked a barber to death over an “uneven” haircut last week was killed Tuesday morning by the victim’s brother right inside the municipal jail in Calinog town, police said.

Concealing a homemade shotgun, the vengeful brother was able to get near the detained Benjie Lozada by pretending to be a friend from his village and offering him biscuits, according to the town’s police chief, Senior Inspector Aron Palomo.

Lozada was shot in the head in the presence of his mother, who was visiting him at the time, according to another officer.

Palomo was relieved of his post later on Tuesday for security lapses under his watch.

The assailant, Nonito Agustin, 43, was apparently out for revenge after Lozada killed his brother, Charlie, with a bolo in the latter’s barbershop at the town’s public market on November 30. The 48-year-old barber was also a pastor of the local Baptist church.

Butt of jokes

Described by police to be mentally disturbed, the 36-year-old Lozada surrendered to authorities immediately after the killing.

He had admitted attacking the barber for giving him a haircut that supposedly made him the butt of jokes at home, investigators earlier said.

A week after the crime, Agustin showed up at around 9 a.m. on Tuesday at the Calinog police station housing the municipal jail and introduced himself as a friend from Lozada’s village.

Agustin first approached and talked to Lozada’s mother Cleofe, who was then seated just outside her son’s cell, said Senior Police Officer 3 Nilo Campos, Calinog deputy police chief.

Agustin then brought out some biscuits, offering these to Lozada. He  later also pulled out a shotgun, Campos added.

Gun undetected

Lozada was rushed to Calinog District Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Agustin had since been detained at the same jail.

Palomo said he and 14 other policemen were at the station that morning but  no one was able to see Nonito’s shotgun when he arrived.

“It happened so fast. I was in my office when I heard the gunshot and I first thought it was just an accidental firing,” Palomo said.

Chief Superintendent Cipriano Querol Jr., Western Visayas police director, said he had ordered the relief of Palomo and an investigation of the lapses on the part of the Calinog police force.

“Visitors should be inspected and access to detention cells should always be restricted,” Querol told the Inquirer in a phone interview.

Originally posted: 1:30 pm | Tuesday, December 6th, 2011