Sleeping farmer shot dead in Leon

By Jennifer P. Rendon

A farmer was shot dead while asleep early Tuesday, April 14, in Leon, Iloilo.

Police reports said the 26-year-old victim, identified only as alias “Jericho,” was sleeping at his uncle’s house in Sitio Sibucao, Barangay Bucari, Leon, when the suspect barged in at about 1:10 a.m. and shot him.

The victim died from a lone gunshot wound to the head.

Capt. John Michael Dalipe, chief of the Leon Municipal Police Station, said witnesses pointed to the victim’s second cousin, identified as Roldan, also a resident of Barangay Bucari, as the gunman.

The suspect immediately fled and remained at large as of press time.

Before the incident, Jericho and Roldan had reportedly been together using their phones.

Both had allegedly tried to avail themselves of the Piso WiFi service offered by Jericho’s uncle.

Dalipe said Jericho usually slept at his uncle’s house when it was already too late to return home to a nearby sitio.

Witnesses said they did not see the victim and the suspect quarrel immediately before the shooting, although the two were allegedly not on good terms.

Police said the suspect allegedly harbored a grudge against the victim and the victim’s mother for supposedly meddling in his married life.

Dalipe said Roldan may have suspected that something was going on between his wife and Jericho.

Police said the misunderstanding was never resolved and allegedly ended with Roldan killing Jericho.