Mayor’s driver kills calf that trampled game fowl to death

By Jennifer P. Rendon

Usually, it’s an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.

But in this case, it’s a cow for a game fowl.

The driver of Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas was arrested Jan. 29, 2020 following a report that he shot to death a young cow.

Carlito Abonador, 49, allegedly shot the calf after it trampled to death his game fowl.

Abonador, who identified himself as a government employee, was arrested by police officers at his house in Barangay Buhang, Jaro, Iloilo City.

He also surrendered a caliber .9mm pistol which was allegedly used in killing the calf.

But Police Captain Eduardo Siacon, Jaro police chief, said the gun was covered with valid licenses.

Abonador allegedly claimed that he shot the cow owned by the Coral family after it trampled his game fowl’s limbering pen. The gamefowl was allegedly pinned to its death.

Abonador even informed a member of the Coral family that he shot their cow.

The complainant did not mind it until around 5 p.m. when they tried looking for the cow. They later found the cow dead due to a gunshot injury.

Siacon said that Abonador and the Corals already had bad blood before the incident.

Coral’s cow had been grazing unattended at the suspect’s property. This irked Abonador who claimed to have lost several game fowls in the past.

But Siacon also confirmed reports of Abonador brandishing his firearm in the area. He was also suspected of illegal gun discharge.

“There was no formal complaint about those incidents. But I was supposed to caution him about it,” Siacon said.

On Thursday morning, the suspect was already charged for illegal discharge of firearm and violation of Republic Act 10631 or An Act Amending Certain Sections of RA 8485, otherwise known as “The Animal Welfare Act of 1998.”

Abonador skirted gun ban charges.

The PNP approved the suspension of permits to carry firearms outside residence in Iloilo City for the Dinagyang Festival 2020, which ran from Jan. 22 to 27, 2020 and Chinese New Year from Jan. 25 to 28, 2020.

The gun ban for the Jaro Fiesta starts today, Jan. 31, until Feb. 3, 2020.

Siacon said the incident happened in the two-day window where the gun ban was not enforced in Iloilo City.