Actor shot dead

(UPDATE) Movie and TV actor John Apacible was shot dead by his uncle during an argument Sunday morning.

The 38-year-old actor – Enrique Rustia Apacible in real life – was declared dead on arrival at a hospital after two bullets from a 9-millimeter pistol hit his chest and pierced his heart, according to Senior Inspector Rodolfo Dabalos, Cainta police investigation unit chief.

The shooting took place in the house of his uncle, Armando Rustia, at Greenland Subdivision in Cainta, Rizal, at around 3 a.m. Sunday.

An initial police investigation showed that Rustia, 60, shot Apacible twice inside his room following an argument.

Dabalos said that Apacible, whose house was just a few meters away from Rustia’s, had a few drinks with his uncle and two friends from 7 p.m. on Saturday until dawn of the next day.

He added that at 12:45 a.m., the other men left, leaving just Apacible and his uncle.

Between 1 a.m. to 2 a.m., Rustia’s daughter and wife said they were roused from sleep by the loud shouts coming from the living room.

This was followed by Rustia, who seemed angry, going to his room on the second floor of the house.

Dabalos said Rustia took out his 9-mm firearm and shot Apacible who had followed him into the room. Rustia then escaped.

Rustia’s family, meanwhile, told police that he shot the actor in self-defense. They added that before the shooting, Apacible punched his uncle in the face.

The police said they were still trying to determine what the two had argued about.

Police said Rustia had promised to turn himself in anytime soon but they added that they were not sure if the actor’s mother – Rustia’s sister – would file charges against him.

Apacible appeared in several movies and television shows, including “Shake, Rattle and Roll” and more recently, ABS-CBN’s “Minsan Lang Kita Iibigin.”

He started his career in the 1990s by appearing in sexy roles.