Police and village head Basilio Layug of Barangay Pag-asa identifi ed the victim as Rolando Igmat, 55, of Pagasa, and the suspect as Dominador Lansangan, 58, of Barangay Colo, also in Dinalupihan.
Village offi cials and police investigators rushed to a remote area along ricelands and forest in Pag-asa after the suspect reported that Igmat hit him with a wooden material and that he left victim alive.
However, Igmat was already dead from some hack wounds when he was found sprawled on a narrow soil pathway.
The Suspect left some traces of blood in the logbook after he signed the village blotter.
The object of the duo’s quarrel was Remedios Fernandez, 25, who lived-in with Igmat when she was only 14 years old, said Layug who is president of the association of barangay captains of Dinalupihan. The couple had three children.
The village offi cial said the couple came to the barangay hall four months ago after the victim complained “tinangay ni Lansangan ang asawa ko.”
The couple agreed to separate.
Layug said perhaps victim still could not take what happened to him so that when he met Lansangan, the two quarreled and wrestled.
“Inabangan niya ako sa masukal na lugar at pinalo ako. Nagpambuno kami, naagaw ko pamalo niya habang nakuha naman niya itak ko,” Lansangan said.
The suspect claimed that he did not hack the victim. “Nang maagaw ko uli ang itak ko, iniwan ko na siya. Kung tinaga ko siya, eh di tadtad siya ng sugat,” he said.
He admitted that the cause of their quarrel was the wife of victim who chose to stay with him. “Kusang sumama ang babae sa akin, ayaw kong tanggapin at pinapaalis ko pero ayaw ng umalis,” Lansangan said.
Suspect surrendered a bolo known as “halabas” that the barangay captain said is used in clearing weeds along dikes of ricelands. Layug said barangay offi cials and police investigators did not fi nd any wooden material that the suspect claimed was used in hitting him.
Supt. Angelito Esteban, Dinalupihan police chief, said investigation still ongoing.
