Navales camp says Michael Bacaltos shot his own father

Lawyer Amando Virgil Ligutan, one of the legal counsels of the Navales family on the case, presents to the media a CCTV footage of the bloody confrontation during a press conference on Wednesday, January 30. | Rosalie Abatayo

Cebu City, Philippines – Lawyers of the Navales family are claiming that it was Michael Bacaltos who shot his own father during the bloody confrontation between some members of both families last January 21, 2019 in Barangay Sambag 1 here.

In a press conference on Tuesday, January 30, lawyer Amando Virgil Ligutan, one of the legal counsels of the Navales family on the case, said they have closed-circuit television (CCTV) footages that prove that it was Michael who shot his father, Edwin Bacaltos, and Vincent Navales during that early Monday morning.

“We can confirm and we have proof that it was Michael Bacaltos who shot his father, Edwin Bacaltos. We can confirm that in court and we have CCTV footages to prove that,”Ligutan said.

Read: Three dead as two former friends’ feud leads to shooting incident in Sambag 1

Edwin died before arriving at the hospital after the incident while Vincent sustained a gunshot wound to his leg. 

Others who died during the confrontation that happened a day after the Sinulog Festival were Vanzant Navales and Shaun Edwin Bacaltos.

Vincent turned himself to the police on the evening of January 21 and was charged with murder two days after.

Read: Hot pursuit on for 4 suspects in the Sambag family feud bloodbath

“In the [CCTV] video, in no way and in no time had Vincent Navales [gotten] hold of any gun,” he added.

However, Ligutan refused to comment on the circumstance on how Shaun Edwin Bacaltos, the youngest child of Edwin, was killed during the altercation.

A screenshot of the CCTV presentation of the Navales camp. CDN Digital photo | Rosalie Abatayo

The camp of the Navales family also claimed that Vanzant and his older brother, Vincent, are just “victims” of the circumstances. The lawyers said that both Vincent and Vanzant were not the aggressors and are innocent. 

Read: Father and son in the Sambag 1 shooting laid to rest

Ligutan said that Vanzant went to the house of the Bacaltoses that morning, alone, after receiving a private message from Michael Bacaltos allegedly saying, “Bayot ka uy hahaha.” (You’re gay)

Ligutan affirmed that Vanzant went to the Bacaltos’ residence to confront Michael. He also confirmed that Vanzant was carrying with him his gun.

Ligutan also said that Vincent Navales and the other friends only followed Vanzant to the Bacaltoses’ residence to pacify his younger brother.

LOOK: Scenes during the Requiem Mass for Edwin and Shaun Edwin Bacaltos

“When Vanzant Navales saw Edwin Bacaltos come out of the house carrying with him an automatic ammunition, the KG-9, Vanzant retreated. It was Edwin Bacaltos who attacked Vanzant Navales,” Ligutan said.

Cebu Daily News Digital is trying to get the side of the Bacaltos family at press time. /bjo