Former brgy. peace and safety officer who shot landlord surrenders 

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The former Barangay Peace and Security Officer (BPSO) of Barangay Kamputhaw who allegedly killed his landlord surrendered to the Abellana Police Station on Friday, January 6, 2023. 

Joel Peralta, a former BPSO, surrendered  four days after he allegedly shot his landlord, Richie Sanchez, who asked him to pay his rent.

The shooting happened Monday evening, January 2, 2023, in Barangay Kamputhaw. 

READ: Tenant who killed landlord in Cebu City still at large

Police Major Nolan Tagsip, chief of Abellana Police Station, said that during their conduct of investigation, they found out that the suspect and the victim are relatives. He added that the victim reportedly offered free accommodation for the suspect. 

“The suspect was given free accommodation kay ang tag-iya sa establishment, paryente man sa suspect (because the owner of the establishment was his relative),” Tagsip said. 

“Niabot sa point nga pahawaon na, wa siguro nakadawat,” he added. 

(It reached the point wherein he was already asked to leave, maybe he couldn’t take it.)

With this, police is looking deeper into the case as they try to find out what might have pushed Peralta to shoot the victim.

As of this posting, police have yet to  get the side of the suspect as the latter refused to give any comment about the incident.

Initial investigation showed that the victim arrived in Barangay Kamputhaw to collect the monthly rental of his room boarders there. While waiting for the boarders, the suspect talked to him. 

Tagsip said that a witness informed them that the suspect asked the victim “Imoha na diay mi nga papahawaon?” (Are you letting us leave?) in an angry tone. 

The suspect left the victim and later returned with an unidentified firearm. He shot the victim in his stomach. 

Hours after the shooting happened, police received information that the suspect went to Barangay Opon in Lapu-Lapu City but they failed to locate him there. 

On Tuesday, January 3, police received information that the suspect went to Sibonga but they did not find him there too. They went back to Barangay Kamputhaw and later on checked Barangay Opon but still, he couldn’t be found.

On Friday noon, the suspect went to the police station together with his lawyer and surrendered. Immediately, the police made the arrest. 

Tagsip said that they did not recover the firearm that the suspect used in committing the crime.  

Tagsip considered this case as solved and the suspect is currently detained at their detention cell while they prepare necessary papers in filing a murder case against him. 

/bmjo