Suspect in fatal Maguikay shooting claims he did it in self-defense

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Police have already detained the suspect in the fatal shooting in front of a factory in Brgy. Maguikay, Mandaue City last Wednesday, May 17, who claimed he did it for ‘self-defense.’

Around 6 p.m. on Wednesday, a shooting took place in Sitio Lupa, Brgy. Maguikay that claimed the life of Ricardo Yara, a factory worker from Alegria town in southern Cebu.

Authorities identified the suspect as Calebo Alerta, a security guard who worked at another factory right in front of where Yara worked.

Alerta was caught in Compostela town in northern Cebu past 2 a.m. on Thursday, May 18, said Police Captain Armil Coloscos, commander of Police Station 4 or the Casuntingan Police Station.

Coloscos said they managed to identify the suspect and trace his whereabouts when he apparently left the gun, a .38 revolver, used in shooting the victim at the crime scene.

“Iyaha tong service firearm,” he added.

(It was his service firearm.)

Shooting suspect to surrender

Enforcers tried to track down Alerta at his address, in Sitio Awihao, Brgy. Sta. Rosa in Danao City, also in northern Cebu.

But upon arriving there, they received information from their counterparts in Compostela that the suspect was in their town, and wanted to surrender.

“Adto na namo siya nakuha sa balay sa iyahang kapuyo sa may Brgy. DapDap sa Compostela. Niinform siya sa police sa Compostela nga musurrender siya,” Coloscos said in an interview.

(We already got him in the house of his live-in partner in Brgy. Dapdap in Compostela. He informed the police in Compostela that he wanted to surrender to them.)

Police believed personal grudge might have been Alerta’s motive for shooting Yara.

Weeks before the shooting took place, Coloscos said the two got into several confrontations over game fowls, some of which had been life-threatening.

Self-defense

In a separate interview, Alerta admitted shooting Yara but claimed he did it in self-defense, citing the violent history between him and the victim.

According to Alerta, some of his co-workers had been reporting to him and accusing Yara of allegedly stealing their game fowls roosting inside their property.

Last May 1, one of Alerta’s workmates allegedly caught Yara trying to steal his own rooster.

When Alerta confronted the factory worker about it, their argument became physical, with Yara reportedly stabbing the security guard.

“Akong giignan nga nganong imong gihilabtan ang manok… Daghan ra ba nangawagtang dinha. Mura man nuun nasuko siya kay sige og pamasangil,” he said.

(I told him why he took the rooster…Many had already been lost there. He instead took offense at what I told him and for accusing him.)

Alerta said he did not pursue filing charges against Yara after the two decided to amicably settle their differences.

However, on the afternoon of May 17, the security guard grew suspicious of the factory employee again, when he saw the latter spying around their property gate.

“Naniid nasad siya… Nagbantay ra ko didto, wa gyud ko nipahawa,” he said.

(He again was seen loitering and spying in the area … I just watched him there, I did not leave.)

When Yara got closer to their factory, Alerta claimed he saw him take out something from his pocket. Fearing that the factory worker would attack him again, Alerta fired shots in ‘self-defense.’

The suspect left his post, then went to his live-in partner in Compostela to seek advice. There, she told him to surrender to authorities.

Alerta will be facing murder charges, police said.

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