Ilocos councilor nabbed for uncle’s slay

A Ilocos Norte councilor will be spending the New Year in jail after he allegedly shot dead an uncle and wounded their driver in a fit of rage in Quezon City yesterday.

Clarence Pilar, 30, a councilor from Bacarra, Ilocos Norte, and said to be a brother of city fiscal Jennifer Pilar, is now detained at the Central Police District (CPD) headquarters awaiting proper charges to be filed.

Pilar’s uncle, Danilo Guerrero, also of Bacarra, sustained bullet wounds in the back and died on the spot. Their driver, Romeo Domingsil, 50, is now confined at the Quezon City General Hospital.

Police sources said Pilar and Guerrero were in Quezon City to spend the New Year with relatives. Investigators hinted the suspect "could have been high on drugs or alcohol" at the time of the incident.

Initial reports showed that Pilar, armed with a caliber .45 caliber, suddenly ran amuck at about 9:30 a.m. inside the garage of a relative’s house located at 12 Montenegrro street, Barangay San Antonio, San Francisco del Monte. Police said the suspect began challenging neighbors to a gunfight.

When Guerrero approached Pilar to pacify him, he opened fire hitting his uncle several times in the back. Guerrero collapsed on the ground and died instantly. Domingsil also tried to intervene, but Pilar shot him on the right side of the body. Neighbors immediately alerted authorities.

When policemen arrived at the scene, Pilar surrendered himself and his firearm. – Matthew Estabillo