BABAG, Cebu City First Councilor Renante Bacarisas surrendered yesterday morning to Cebu City Councilor Dave Tumulak, two days after shooting his cousin during an argument.
In an interview, Bacarisas said he fled from the area after the incident not to run from authorities, but to “cool off” and clear his mind.
Ibona, 36, was rushed to a hospital where he was treated for gunshot wounds in his neck and body last Sunday. He was declared out of danger.
A manhunt was launched by authorities on the same day.
Last Monday, Cebu City Police Office Director Joel Doria urged Bacarisas to surrender and face the complaint.
Mabolo Police Station Chief Dindo Juanito Alaras said that Bacarisas will face a frustrated murder complaint, which the Office of the City Prosecutor will weigh to see if there’s basis to proceed to a trial.
“Niabot ko og Ozamiz, apan wala ko mu-disembark sa barko. Plano jud nako sa pag-surrender kay kahibaw ko nga nakalapas ko sa balaod (I reached Ozamiz but didn’t step down from the boat. I planned to surrender because I know I violated the law),” Bacarisas told reporters.
The village official said that he had received threats before the incident happened due to the tension in their barangay health center.
But he pointed out that it was not his intention to harm Ibona, who is a former barangay health worker.
“Tabis kaayo siya nako ba. Niabot na ko sa punto...Ting-angat sa election, gikapoy na ko sa iyang mga istorya og nibuto ang problema. Dili nako intensyon ang mupatay niya. Niabot lang sa panahon na nakalimtan nako kung unsa ang angay buhaton (He glared at me. During the election, I got tired of all the allegations he made but I never intended to kill him. It just got to a point that I forgot what was the right thing to do),” he said.
Although they are related, Bacarisas said he has no plans to meet with Ibona’s family to apologize at the moment.
“Dili pa karun ang sakto nga panahon kay kahibaw ko nga init pa kaayo ang sitwasyon. Nahitabo naman na, ako lang atubangon (It’s not the right time, because the situation is still so heated. I will face the consequences),” he said. (RTF)