Councilman nabbed with gun, grenade

CEBU, Philippines — After more than a month, an incumbent councilman, who was suspected of having links to the shooting and wounding of his fellow councilman of Barangay Luca in Balamban, was arrested in his house Saturday afternoon (March 28).

The arrested suspect was identified as 39-year-old Carlo Maunes, also known as " Kokong," a resident of Barangay Luca. The victim was his fellow councilman, 54-year-old Renato Pacquiao Tribunalo.

Maunes was earlier tagged as the person who allegedly ordered the shooting of Tribunalo on February 19, which was carried out by two suspects—Robert Borres Alcantara, 42, a resident of Barangay Tagbao, Cebu City, and Roger Markit Doncillo, 48, of Barangay Cabasiangan, Balamban---who the police had earlier arrested.

On March 28, at around 3 p.m., the police served on Maunes a search warrant, issued by the Regional Trial Court Branch 8, Toledo City, dated March 27, for alleged violation of Republic Act 10591 (Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act of 2013).

Seized from Maunes' possession, during the conduct of the search, was a .45-caliber pistol with its magazine loaded with at least four live rounds of ammunition.

The operatives also confiscated a hand grenade from Maunes, leading the police to charge him with an additional violation under Republic Act 9516 for illegal possession of an explosive device. They also contacted the Explosives and Ordnance Division of the police to ensure the proper handling of the seized hand grenade.

Maunes was subsequently arrested and was detained at the custodial facility of the Balamban Police Station, pending the completion of documents for the filing of appropriate charges against him in court.

The shooting of Tribunalo occurred on the afternoon of February 19, while he was repairing an air-conditioning unit inside his residence in Barangay Cantuod, Balamban. He was shot and hit in the right chest by a gunman who quickly fled and escaped on a motorcycle waiting near the scene.

Two days later, on February 21, authorities identified the suspects with the help of concerned citizens who recognized them through closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage collected during the investigation. Alcantara was the alleged gunman, and Doncillo was the alleged driver of the waiting motorcycle, used in their escape.

On February 22, police first arrested Alcantara at his residence in Barangay Tagbao, Cebu City, while Doncillo surrendered to authorities in Barangay Lusaran, also in Cebu City.

Alcantara and Doncillo admitted to the shooting of Tribunalo, but named Maunes as the one who allegedly ordered them to do so, with P30,000 for the job. But they said they got disappointed when they were paid with P2000 only, as a down payment, and not the balance of the amount, purportedly because they failed to fully comply with what Maunes allegedly wanted them to do.

Alcantara claimed that Maunes allegedly ordered them to injure Tribunalo only and not to kill him. He told the police he did not know the reason, but insisted that the gun he used in the shooting belonged to Maunes and he returned it to the councilman after he did the job.

After the police arrested Maunes, there was no statement yet from the police if the gun seized from him, during the search, underwent forensic ballistics testing to determine if it was the one actually used in the shooting.

Balamban Mayor Amos Edwin Cabahug, in an earlier report, speculated that the motive for the crime may be politically related, especially with the upcoming barangay elections this year.

He said Tribunalo is eyeing to run as the next barangay captain of Luca for the upcoming November 2026 elections, noting that the victim was previously elected as the first councilor.

The police, however, did not give details yet on their verification process over the veracity of the claims of the arrested suspects and in naming Maunes as the one behind their actions.

THE FREEMAN tried to get a statement from the police to confirm the possible motive of the crime, based on its investigation, but did not receive a response, as of press time. (CEBU NEWS)