Retired cop, 2 sons shoot pastor over land dispute

A retired policeman and his two sons were arrested yesterday for shooting to death a pastor at the height of a quarrel over a parcel of land in Mandaluyong City.

Mandaluyong City police chief Senior Superintendent Carlos de Sagun said former Senior Police Officer 3 Rodrigo Orpina, and his sons, Lloyd Gerald and Rolly, were about to escape when responding policemen collared them.

The elder Orpina admitted shooting Pastor Albert Sescon Sr. in the face and head with a 9mm automatic pistol. Sescon died while being operated on at the Mandaluyong City Medical Center.

De Sagun said Orpina and his family are among the informal settlers at a 1,000-square meter lot owned by Marichu Araneta at the corner of Boni Avenue, and Dansalan street in Barangay Barangka Ilaya.

Orpina and 17 other families paid Sescon P10,000 for them to put up a shanty in the compound, De Sagun said.

The Orpinas and Sescons have been engaged in a court battle for years and their relationship deteriorated further recently when Araneta won over the pastor in a land case.

Upon learning that it was Araneta and not Sescon who owned the lot, Orpina asked Sescon to refund his money but his pleading was ignored.

At about 1:20 p.m. yesterday, Orpina and his two sons entered the barricaded compound and it was Sescon himself who allowed them inside. However, a heated argument ensued and Sescon hit Orpina on the head with a rattan stick.

According to Orpina, Sescon was about to reach for a 12-gauge shotgun when he pulled out his 9mm pistol and opened fire at close range. Bystanders and neighbors rushed Sescon to the hospital.

Responding policemen recovered the fatal firearm from Orpina, who was arrested along with his two sons. Orpina said the handgun was issued to him for his being a “civilian agent” of the Philippine Army.

De Sagun said they are preparing homicide charges against the elder Orpina, while his two sons will be charged with being accessories to the crime. The three men are detained at the Mandaluyong City detention center.