Village chief flees after fatal shooting of brother-in-law in Capiz

By Felipe V Celino

ROXAS CITY, Capiz – A village chief is on the run following the fatal shooting of his brother-in-law on the evening of March 3 in Barangay Carataya, Maayon, Capiz.

According to Maayon’s police chief Police Major Cyril Punzalan, the fugitive, Mario Bornales, Carataya’s elected barangay captain, is being actively pursued by law enforcement.

The suspect is reportedly open to the idea of surrendering to the authorities. Meanwhile, a charge of homicide is being prepared against him.

The incident transpired at approximately 11:50 p.m. when the victim, 45-year-old Edwin Tabo-tabo, was at home and was confronted by Bornales over a tree Tabo-tabo had cut down.

The confrontation quickly escalated, with Bornales drawing a .45 caliber firearm and shooting Tabo-tabo in the right shoulder.

After the shooting, Bornales fled to an unknown location. Tabo-tabo was transported to Bailan District Hospital in Pontevedra town by a barangay councilor.

Despite medical efforts, Tabo-tabo succumbed to cardiac arrest at 12:05 a.m., a consequence of the gunshot wound.

Sarah Bornales, the suspect’s mother, depicted her son as a person of good standing, with no prior misconduct during his 13-year tenure as a village official, stating that he was well-regarded for his leadership in Carataya.

She surmised that her son’s actions were spurred by rage over the unauthorized felling of his Narra tree, leading to the tragic incident.