THE Talisay City police escalated the case filed against Edwin Reponte from reckless imprudence resulting to homicide to homicide.
Some witnesses accused Edwin of killing his younger sister Jacquiline Reponte, who was 14 years old.
Earlier reports surfaced that Jacquiline was shot and killed inside their home in V.H. Garces, Barangay Cansojong, Talisay City, Cebu, last Friday, April 26, 2024, while answering a school module.
However, it turned out later that the victim's death was really caused by Edwin's 9mm pistol, which had fallen and struck her in the face.
According to Police Lieutenant Colonel Epream Paguyod, the chief of the Talisay City Police Station, Edwin's live-in partner Junelyn, 21, and father-in-law Junie Gumana, 43, were also charged with obstruction of justice and illegal possession of firearms following the inquest procedures.
Junie reportedly hid Edwin’s gun, which was already recovered by the Talisay City police.
Edwin allegedly went into hiding after the authorities discovered that his father-in-law and Junelyn had made up a story that an unknown person entered the victim’s house and then opened fire on her.
Evelyn Reponte, the suspect's mother, urged her son to take responsibility for his actions and face the case in court.
"Ako lang siya pasayloon sir kay wala man daw na niya matuyo, pero kung magkita mi ako siya ingnun nga surrender lang dong kay on provision man ka modako nya ang kaso nimo," said Evelyn.
(I'll just forgive him, sir, because he didn't mean to do it, but when we meet each other, I’ll ask him to give up because he's on provision and for his case not to worsen).
Evelyn admitted that she was out working during the incident and her son Edwin was still sleeping when she left at 5 a.m.
She said she was just astonished when Junie called her that Jacquiline committed suicide by shooting herself.
But when she confronted Edwin what really transpired during the incident, the latter acknowledged killing the victim after his gun unintentionally fell and exploded.
Paguyod said the case has already been resolved, and they will only need to wait for the fiscal’s office to rule on the cases they have filed. (AYB, TPT)