Businessman killed, shooter dies in standoff

By Jennifer P. Rendon

A businessman was fatally shot by a mentally-challenged man on the evening of May 9 at Barangay Mat-y, Miag-ao, Iloilo.

Pio Javier, who was assessing a lot he intended to purchase in Mat-y village, was attacked unexpectedly.

Javier, a pharmacy owner in Miag-ao and husband to a physician, arrived at the site around 3:20 p.m. Thursday.

Within minutes, Renato Fredecilla emerged from his nearby home and shot Javier without apparent provocation, striking him in the face with the bullet exiting through the back of his head.

Javier was pronounced dead on arrival at the town’s rural health unit.

The incident was witnessed by a minor, who immediately reported it to the authorities.

Captain Francis Donne Lomahan, chief of Miag-ao police, stated that a follow-up operation was initiated at around 4 p.m.

After locating the suspect’s brother, police attempted to negotiate Fredecilla’s surrender without success.

Fredecilla later fired at police from a window. This prompted an exchange of gunfire.

At around 9 p.m., officers resorted to deploying tear gas into his residence.

Approximately an hour later, they entered the home and found Fredecilla fatally wounded by a single gunshot to the chest on the second floor of the house.

Fredecilla was transported to Rep. Pedro G. Trono Memorial Hospital in Guimbal, Iloilo, where he was declared dead at 10:26 p.m.

With both the suspect and victim deceased, Lomahan declared the case closed.