RESIDENTS of Sitio Lantawan, Brgy. Sinsin discovered Monday, March 16, 2020, the remains of a charcoal maker in the hillside of the area, not far from where the charcoal briquettes are made.
Police corporal Jeymus Tordios of the Pardo Police Station identified the victim as Ronie Mojillo, 50, who lived just a few meters away from the crime scene.
Tordios said the victim’s body was not left untouched as the family had already been in the area. The position of the victim was no longer the same as when he was shot by the sole suspect.
The victim also had several stab wounds which contributed to his quick demise. It is believed that the suspect used a 9-millimeter gun, as indicated by the recovered ammunition at the crime scene.
Tordios added that when they asked around, no one gave clear answers. “The houses here are far from one another,” Tordios said.
The responding police believe that the crime was committed at night, at least eight hours prior to the discovery of the body.
They are also looking at two angles for the motive behind Mojillo’s killing, one being personal grudge, a possible fight over the victim’s cultivated land.
Tordios said: “We have people who are likely to be summoned for questioning. But that does not automatically make them persons of interest. We still have to investigate.”
Another possibility is that the victim defended himself while in his position, as narrated by his son who saw the commotion.
The victim’s son, Dennis, 16, was coming from the charcoal making area and ran toward his father whom he hoped was still alive.
He then cried out to his neighbors for help and immediately informed his mother.
He added that his father had not returned since Saturday afternoon after telling them he had to go somewhere.
Tordios was also told that the victim had no known conflicts with anyone in the area. (BBT / CCP)