Two neighbors club Argao man to death

A man was killed after he was struck with the butt of a rifle by his two neighbors Saturday night in barangay Usmad in Argao town.

Police identified the victim as Donato Amarillo, a resident of barangay Panadtaran of the town. He sustained injuries in different parts of his body, which was recovered from a 50 meter-deep ravine early Sunday.

The killing happened in barangay Usmad, some 10 kilometers away from the town center.

SPO1 Zorobabel Oyangoren of Argao Police Station identified the suspects as cousins Amado and William Pantinople, both residents in the area.

Police investigators said before the killing, the victim was last seen Saturday night drinking liquor with his father-in-law, Tomas Malinog, inside the house of a certain Alla Hegrimosa.

The suspects then reportedly arrived and barged into the house of Gegrimosa. Amado was reportedly seen holding a .22 caliber rifle during that time.

The suspects confronted Amarillo on reports that the victim is accusing them of stealing his chicken, but he denied having accused them.

Moments later, while the suspects started to go home, the victim reportedly asked the suspects to let him go with them since he is also about to go home.

The following day, a certain Anecita Carillo, another resident in the area, informed Gegrimosa about the discovery of Amarillo’s body at the ravine in the morning.

Police recovered at the crime scene the rifle that Amado was allegedly carrying when they went to Gegrimosa’s house to confront Amarillo. The rifle has been reportedly broken but a bullet was still inside its chamber.

Police believed that the suspects could have tried to shoot the victim but the gun misfired, and decided to hit the victim with its butt. They theorized based on the injuries sustained by the victim that the suspects might have used other hard objects in hitting him.

The police are now hunting down the suspects while charges have been already filed against them. — Edwin Ian Melecio/LPM