Sis-in-law says Pamutan brgy chief fired gun at her

CEBU, Philippines - A Cebu City barangay captain was reported to the police by his sister-in-law for allegedly pointing a gun at her Thursday afternoon.

Pamutan Barangay Captain Ronaldo Labitad, though, merely laughed off what Emma Cabingatan, 40, told Guadalupe police.

He denied threatening his sister-in-law with a gun, saying that if he did fire a gun, she would be dead by now.

“Kung di pa ‘ta kaila, kung bogo pa ko, napatay na tika. Kung gipusil tika, maigo unta (If I did not know you, and I am dumb enough, I would have killed you by now.  If I fired at you, you would have been hit),” he said, referring to Cabingatan.

Senior Inspector Allan Rosario of Guadalupe Police Station said they went to Pamutan after receiving a report that Labitad allegedly pointed a gun at Cabingatan and fired it to scare her off at 6 p.m. last Thursday.

Cabingatan told the police that Labitad allegedly barked at her “Ngano ka? Ngano ka (What’s wrong with you)?” before firing a gun of still unidentified caliber.

Responding policemen, though, could neither find any witness nor empty bullet shells in the area where the incident supposedly happened.

This led Rosario to surmise that the incident likely did not happen.

In a telephone interview, Labitad only admitted that he had an argument with his sister-in-law and that he reprimanded Cabingatan for making a scene.

“Ako ra siya giingnan nga ayaw sige og yawyaw. Ayaw pakaulaw (I merely told her to stop nagging, to have shame),” he said.

He admitted he and Cabingatan has a misunderstanding because she had an opponent run under his lineup during the barangay elections last year.— /RHM (FREEMAN)