Wife of slain Cavite gunman apologizes to victims’ families

A little girl looks bewildered by the blood stains marking the spot where a person fell during a shooting frenzy in Barangay Tabon I, Kawit, Cavite province, on Friday morning. EDWIN BELLOSILLO

IMUS CITY–The wife of slain gunman Ronald Bae apologized to the victims’ families and hoped they were not angry at her.

“I apologize for what my husband did. Sana hindi sila magalit sa kin,” [I hope they were not angry at me] said Ma. Elena Bae, 36, in an interview late Saturday afternoon [at around 5:30 p.m.] at the Samson Funeraria in this city during the wake for her husband.

Nine people, including Ronald, were killed in the carnage that left a close-knit neighborhood in Barangay (village) Tabon I in Kawit, Cavite in fear.

The police on Saturday identified them as Alberto Fernandez, 55; Boyet Toledo; Irene Funelas, 38; Al Drio, 20; Michaella Andrea Caimol, 7; two-month pregnant Rhea de Vera, 34; and de Vera’s daughter Jan Monica, 3. A list from the Cavite provincial government, however, included, a certain Adoracion Cabrera.

The police said 12 others, two of them children, were injured.

Ma. Elena said her husband was a good man and father until “he started using drugs recently.”

On December 30, she said Bae started acting strangely. “He would talk to himself. Minsan tumitirik pa ang mata, [Sometimes, his eyes were even glazed]” she added.

In one instance, she said she saw Bae talking to a wall in their house in Guagua, Pampanga.

“May mga sinasabi siya: demonyo ako, may mga aninong nakikita, may nakasilip,” (He was muttering–I am demon. I am being shadowed. Someone’s lurking around), she said.

Bae and Elena were married five years ago but they had been living together in the past 13 years. They have five children, the eldest of whom was 12. Bae had two children with his first wife.

Bae’s remains are scheduled to be laid to rest on Wednesday at the Angelus Eternal Gardens in Imus.