Mayor condemns killing of village chief

By Felipe V. Celino 

 

ROXAS CITY, Capiz – Roxas City Mayor Ronnie Dadivas condemned the killing of Punong Barangay Ruben Fuentes of Barangay 3 here who was stabbed outside a videoke bar in McKinley Street here a week ago.

Dadivas already ordered the creation of a taskforce directive to go around the city to check the establishments, especially those operating in the evening.

According to the mayor, he allowed establishments to open but they must implement the regulations of the city and standard health protocols.

Meanwhile, the Liga ng mga Barangays here will help the family of Fuentes to gain justice following a stabbing incident Sunday night where he was killed.

Liga federation president Virgilio “Yoyo” Santos Jr. said he will meet his group and provide the family with a lawyer who will assist in the case against the two suspects.

On the other hand, Brgy. 3 Kagawad Rosemarie Fuentes vowed to pass an ordinance prohibiting the operations of videoke bars in their village.

A daughter of the slain barangay chief, Rosemarie, said she will ask the police to strictly implement the law against carrying of deadly weapons especially in establishments serving liquor to customers.

She described her father as a loving and responsible head of their family.

The Roxas City police last week filed murder charges against suspects Virgilio Vigor and Joseph Jamora before the City Prosecutors Office.

The two were arrested after they stabbed Fuentes, 63, who succumbed to two stab injuries on his chest and back.

He died at the Roxas Memorial Hospital.

Lieutenant Colonel Ricardo Jomuad, Jr., Roxas City police chief, said barangay tanod Cesar Edrosolano, 38, also a Barangay III resident, was injured in the incident.

Vigor, 40, a construction worker from Barangay Karigangan, Janiuay, Iloilo, was immediately arrested after the incident.

Incidentally, Vigor is a former convict. He was incarcerated at the New Bilibid Prison for a homicide case after he allegedly stabbed and killed a man in Miag-ao, Iloilo.

His fellow construction worker, Joseph Jamora, 38, of Barangay Caboloan Norte, Oton, Iloilo, was also collared for conspiracy.

Police investigation indicated that the two suspects, together with five companions, went to Groggy Videoke Bar at McKinley St., Barangay III, early evening of Sunday.

The group already had a drink at the Capiz State University (CAPSU)-main campus where they worked on a project.

Both Vigor and Jamora worked on the project for two weeks only.

Jomuad said everything went well with their drinking spree until around 9:30 p.m. when the group was about to leave.

Their engineer-boss was about to settle their bill when Vigor suddenly threw a bottle on the ground.

No one was hurt, but he was asked to leave the bar.

While outside, Fuentes was patrolling the area and approached Vigor.

“Kap Fuentes asked the suspect if he’s okay. But Vigor immediately stabbed him twice,” Jomuad said.

When Edrosolano saw what happened, he allegedly tried to strike the suspect with a baton.

But Vigor overpowered the tanod and stabbed him, too.

They even went inside the establishment and stirred commotion.

After the attack, Vigor went to CAPSU campus where he was arrested.

Jomuad said they arrested Jamora after he tried to conceal the suspect’s knife and wallet.

The two suspects are now detained and will be charged accordingly.