‘Misunderstanding’ in Iloilo village fundraising event turns deadly

MANILA, Philippines—Four people were killed and four others were injured after a “misunderstanding” led to a shooting incident in the middle of a fund-raising event in Iloilo a little after midnight Friday, police said.

Chief Superintendent Cipriano Querol Jr. identified the fatalities in Barangay (village) Tacas in Jaro as village captain Rolando Tabuada, Police Officer 3 Jerome Jaculina of Jaro Police Station, Remy Jaculina, cousin of Jerome, and Avelino Sabidalas, a bystander.

The four injured were identified as Rio and Richard Jaculina, Archie Degoma Sr., the trusted man of Tabuada, and Sonia Apostol, another bystander.

Initial investigation showed that PO3 Jaculina was looking for one Summer Babe around 12:10 a.m. when an apparent “misunderstanding” occured between the policeman and still unidentified village officials after Jaculina patted them on their backs.

“Parang tinapik sa likod ni Jerome yung mga tanod tapos na misinterpret yata,” Querol said.

However, Querol said police investigators have yet to determine who fired the first shot.

Found in Jaculina’s possession was a calibre .45 pistol while his cousin had a 9 milimeter pistol.

Several empty shells of calibre .45 pistol, 9mm, as well as cases of liquor were found at the crime scene and were now being processed by its local Scene of the Crime Operatives.