Ex-soldier charged for shooting couple over stray goat in Zamboanga City

ZAMBOANGA CITY — A retired soldier is facing murder and frustrated murder charges after he shot a couple who complained about his goat that strayed into their vegetable garden.

Police Major Albin Cabayacruz, commanding officer of the Zamboanga City Police Station 7, said Rozalino Epat Garig, 67, a retired member of the Philippine Army who lived in Purok 2, Barangay Malagutay here, got very angry when his attention was called by Maria Corazon Bernardo Antonio, 34; and her husband Joseph Delos Santos Antonio, 37, about his goat that went to the couple’s garden.

Garig reportedly got mad and rushed to the Antonio couple’s house in Zone 4, Lumbang, Barangay Dulian at 10 a.m. on June 24, while the latter were celebrating the Feast of St. John.

“Garig was a subject of complaints by the couple due to his unattended goats foraging in their vegetable garden,” said Cabayacruz. “There was a heated argument between the suspect and the victims. Out of his anger, Garig shot the couple several times using his caliber 45 pistol.”

Corazon, who sustained six bullet wounds on her body, died two days later while her husband remains in critical condition.

Cabayacruz said this was the second shooting incident that happened in the city targeting a family.

In a separate incident on June 17, unidentified gunmen attacked a family of four that included a five-year-old girl tending to their small lot along the bypass road of Sitio Bactus, Barangay Tugbungan.

All the four, identified as Alih Ibno, Fatima Raddaie, Rana Raddaie and the minor, Aliyanna Ibno, sustained multiple gunshot wounds and died on the spot. Authorities here have yet to identify the suspects.

/MUF