Suspect in teen's slay gives up to cops

A man suspected of shooting and killing a 17-year-old in sitio Bomba, barangay Lusaran, last Friday dawn, surrendered to the police after he was convinced to do so by his employer last Saturday.

The suspect, Wendel Dorado, a helper of a farm raising fighting cocks farm in Lusaran was turned over by his uncle and employer, Lope Dorado, to the Regional Investigation and Intelligence Division in sitio Pilit, barangay Tawason, Mandaue City.

He was accused of shooting and killing farmer Junrey Ardines, 17, who suffered a single gunshot wound to the chest and later died.

The victim was with his friends on their way to barangay Cambinocot to spend the night when they passed by the store of the victim's aunt where the suspect was drinking liquor with some other men last Friday dawn.

The victim was reportedly heard telling the men about the indiscriminate firing of guns in their area that their neighbors were unhappy about it. But as the victim and his friends walked away the suspect, who was accompanied by another man, followed and shot the victim.

According to the police, Lope convinced the suspect to surrender to the police after several of his fighting cocks in the farm were found slaughtered in what was believed to be retaliations perpetrated by the victim's kin.

The suspect's uncle then called the RIID who sent PO2 Dindo Tajanlangit and PO1 Januario Miro to fetch him in Mandaue City.

The Freeman tried to interview the suspect inside his holding cell but he only revealed that he had a grudge against the victim and refused to make further comments when one of his relatives warned him against giving information without his lawyer.

The Homicide Section will be filing a case against the suspect today before the City Prosecutors Office. - Edwin Ian Melecio