CEBU, Philippines - Years, ago his father allegedly killed his live-in partner.
Now, Ronnie Caparida faces a murder charge for the death of his 42-year-old live-in partner whom he claimed to have shot by accident.
The incident happened inside their rented room at Sitio Ponce, Barangay Capitol Site, Cebu City, at around 11:30 on Monday morning.
Alicia Revealde, a vegetable vendor who is a native of Barangay Malurang, Dalaguete town succumbed to a lone gunshot wound on the right temple which exited on the other side of her head.
She was shot by Caparida, 29, a native of Barangay Quezon, San Carlos City, Negros Oriental, also a vegetable vendor.
They have been together for over two years.
Caparida, who surrendered to the police, told The FREEMAN that he was only cleaning a loaded 9mm revolver when it accidentally went off.
He said he was cleaning his gun while seated on the edge of their bed beside Revealde who was resting.
“Ako ra gi-down ang hammer sa pistola samtang nag limpyo ko sa cylinder. Wala ko nagdahom nga mo-buto ug ma-igo akong kapuyo, (I was just putting the hammer into the home position while I was cleaning the cylinder. I did not expect it to fire and hit my partner.)” he said.
Caparida said he did not bother unloading the gun for fear that the rounds would be lost and stressed that the incident was just an accident.
“Pwerte gyud nako kuyawa dihang mi-kalit og buto ang pusil,(I was really scared when the gun went off.)” he said.
He said that their neighbor peeked through the window into their room and asked what happened.
Aware of his crime, Caparida said he changed his clothes and waited inside their house for the police to arrest him.
“Naghulat nalang ko sa pulis nga mo-abot. Nagdahom ko nga mo abot ang pulis human nakalili akong silingan, (I just waited for the police to arrive. I was already expecting them after our neighbor came over.)” he said.
He stayed inside their room for nine hours before he decided to phone his brother, Macario at around 9 p.m., to assist him in his surrender.
Macario rushed to the Cebu City Police Office Homicide Section where he sought help for his brother’s surrender.
Fifteen minutes later, Caparida peacefully surrendered to the police who went inside their room.
“Dako kaayo akong pagmahay sa hitabo, (I deeply regret what happened.)” he said.
Homicide chief Jul Mohammed Jamiri believed that Revealde was murdered by her live-in partner based on burnt black powder residues found around the victim’s body.
The residue, according to Jamiri, suggests that the gunman shot the victim pointblank.
The authorities were not able to recover the gun used in the crime.
Investigation revealed that Caparida’s father also killed his partner years back.
“Naay history ang pamilya sa suspect, (The family has a history.)” he said.
Revealde had two children with her previous relationship whom she left in Dalaguete.
Caparida is currently detained at CCPO stockade, while the police are preparing murder charges against him. –(FREEMAN)