Councilman in Capiz shooting surrenders

CEBU, Philippines – The councilman of Barangay Hilwan in Tapaz town of Capiz — who was tagged in the shooting spree in Libacao, Aklan that killed two teenage girls and wounded six others — has voluntarily surrendered Tuesday night.

Jonathan Felix, 20, yielded to the Tapaz Police Station, in coordination with his Barangay Chairman Anilyn Carlos, according to Chief Inspector Leomindo Tayopon, chief of the Tapaz Police.

Tapaz policemen picked Felix up at around 11 p.m. in Barangay Libas of Banga town in Aklan where he hid after the shooting incident. He was then brought to Capiz Provincial Police Office.

Felix said he felt safer in turning himself to the Tapaz Police than to the Libacao policemen. He also alleged that the incident was a case of gun duel between him and one of the victims, 21-year-old Jay-Ar Agudes, of Barangay Monica in Libacao.

Felix said their conflict was a case of a “rido” that started when the Agudes family accused him of stealing their carabao.

The shooting incident, during a perya (carnival fair) claimed the lives of Antonina Ricablanca, 16, of Barangay Ortega and Sarah Kaye Katimpo, 14, of Barangay Dalagsa-an, all in Libacao.

Aside from Agudes, five others were wounded including three minors aged 14, 15 and 17.