Kagawad killed in hacking incident

By Jennifer P. Rendon

 

A village councilman died after he was repeatedly hacked evening of April 23, 2021 in Maasin, Iloilo.

Barangay Kagawad Warlito Cordero, 54, of Dagami village, Maasin, was declared dead on arrival at Ramon Tabiana Memorial District Hospital in Cabatuan town.

Police claimed the suspects are also Warlito’s relatives – Edward Cordero, 25, and his brother Jeffrey, 19, also residents of the said place.

Edward is a former Citizen Armed Force Geographical Unit (CAFGU) member who was terminated from service two months ago over his alleged drinking problem.

Lieutenant Jayson Mausig, Maasin police deputy chief, said Edward and Jeffrey and several other men were binge drinking at Warlito’s house Friday evening.

At around 10 p.m., Edward began acting unruly prompting Warlito to send him home.

When Edward left the house, Jeffrey and their other drinking buddy, Ronilo Lagunday, had a misunderstanding and traded punches outside Warlito’s house.

Mausig said the victim immediately went out of his house and pacified the two.

But it was at that juncture when Edward returned, this time, he was armed with a bolo.

Edward immediately hacked Warlito.

When Warlito fell, Jeffrey also took the bolo and again attacked the former.

The suspects immediately fled.

Mausig said they later arrested the two suspects in a hot pursuit operation at their sibling’s house, around 300 meters from the CAFGU detachment in Dagami village, at around 7:30 a.m. of Saturday.

Both were still holding on to a bolo while drinking liquor.

“Maybe, they were expecting that relatives would retaliate after Warlito’s death,” Mausig said.

The suspects initially resisted arrest but later conceded. They are now detained and would be charged for murder.