Tanod Killed on day of child’s baptism birthday

A BARANGAY tanod (village watchman) was killed hours before his third child was about to be baptized.

Michael Patriarca’s death also fell on his second child’s birthday.

Both Patriarca and his nemesis, April Ilisan, allegedly shot each other to death following a heated confrontation 12:45 a.m. of Jan. 5, 2019 during Capul-an’s annual fiesta.

Inspector Felice Dioso, Mina police chief, said Patriarca came from the village hall to secure the community dance or binayle.

He went home alone on board a motorcycle. But before he managed to get inside their house, Ilisan allegedly confronted him.

Ilisan, a resident of Barangay Cabanga-an, Badiangan, was quizzing the tanod on the result of a basketball game hours before the dance.

But Patriarca claimed he was not aware of how the game ended.

The encounter turned into a heated argument until Ilisan pulled a handgun and repeatedly shot Patriarca.

Despite being wounded, Patriarca also pulled a firearm and fired back at Ilisan.

Patriarca was brought to Mina Municipal Clinic but was declared dead due to multiple gunshot injuries.

Ilisan, on the other hand, was rushed to Iloilo Provincial Hospital in Pototan town where he was also proclaimed dead due to four gunshot wounds.

But latest investigation showed that Ilisan had a companion during the incident.

Another tanod claimed that a certain Eliezer Mabayag, a resident of Barangay Guinisingan, Badiangan, was with Ilisan.

“We’re trying to ascertain if he was able to fire a gun,” Dioso said.

Investigators are looking into the slugs recovered from the crime scene.

Mabayag is also suspected to have brought the two firearms used by Ilisan and Patriarca in the duel.

Dioso said they went to Mina but Mabayag allegedly failed to go home after the shooting incident.

Aside from the confrontation incident, reports indicated that Ilisan and Patriarca harbored personal grudges against each other.

Patriarca accused Ilisan of strafing their house in January 2018.