A police officer surrendered to authorities after allegedly shooting to death a barangay councilor in Palapag, Northern Samar, on Friday afternoon, Sept. 18.
The victim, a 50-year-old resident of Barangay Mapno, was found behind a waiting shed across the barangay auditorium after the shooting at 2:53 p.m.
Police identified the suspect as a 40-year-old patrolman residing in Palapag.
According to the Palapag Municipal Police Station, the victim was sitting at the waiting shed when the suspect approached and shot him several times before fleeing the area.
Five empty 9mm cartridge cases and one slug were recovered from the scene.
Initial police investigation indicated that the shooting stemmed from a personal grudge involving the two men, who reportedly had a history of animosity and an ongoing family dispute.
Barangay Captain Lope Macayayong reported the incident to the Palapag police at 3:15 p.m. Police personnel immediately responded to the area.
A hot-pursuit operation was launched by Palapag police personnel.
The suspect, however, later voluntarily surrendered to the Palapag police and turned over his PNP-issued Taurus 9mm pistol, three magazines and 23 rounds of ammunition.
The victim’s remains were initially brought to the Palapag Rural Health Unit for post-mortem examination due to the absence of the municipal health officer. The body was later transferred to G.B. Tan Memorial Hospital in Laoang.
According to the police, the suspect was also brought to the same hospital for a medical examination.