By Jennifer P. Rendon
A teacher got piqued after learning that an “intruder” raided his watermelon plantation in Estancia, Iloilo early morning of March 28, 2021.
The intruder happened to be a cow owned by a neighbor at Barangay Pani-an, Estancia.
The suspect, 54-year-old Rene Dichosa, later surrendered to responding police officers.
According to the cow owner, Jupiter Barres, 67, a businessman, he heard two gunfire volleys in a nearby grass field around 6:30 a.m. Sunday.
He got worried after checking that his cows were not in the area where he tied them up.
Barres said he looked for his herds and he saw a cow already injured. And from the looks of it, he claimed that the cow had been shot on the leg while at the vicinity of Dichosa’s watermelon plantation.
He immediately reported the incident to Barangay Captain Zalldy Basio. It didn’t take long, though, for Dichosa to voluntarily surrender himself to Basio.
Major Aldren Lamera, Estancia police chief, said the teacher also admitted that he shot the cow when he saw the animal ravaging his watermelon plants.
When police authorities were called in, Dichosa was frisked and they seized from his possession a caliber .40 Cougar 8040FT pistol (serial number T6429-12F00253) with one magazine loaded with ammunition.
He also submitted three firearm identification cards. Dichosa’s gun license will expire on Nov. 28, 2022.
Lamera said Dischosa is detained at the police station’s lock-up cell while charges for violation of Republic Act 8485 (The Animal Welfare Act of 1998), Article 254 of the Revised Penal Code (illegal discharge of firearm) and Article 327 of RPC (malicious mischief) were already filed against him.
