ILOILO — A birthday celebration turned into a tragedy when barangay captain Richard Sapalo was shot and killed inside his home in a remote village of Ginot-an, approximately 15 kilometers from the San Joaquin town center.
According to police, the 53-year-old victim was discovered lifeless in his bedroom by his daughter on February 26. She recalled hearing gunfire around 2:30 a.m. but initially dismissed the noise as random sounds.
It was not until around 5:30 a.m. that she checked her father’s room, only to find him unresponsive and covered in blood.
Police Captain Isagani Tabares, chief of the San Joaquin Municipal Police Station, confirmed that Sapalo sustained two gunshot wounds to the chest.
Police believe the assailant forcibly entered the victim’s room early hours of Feb. 26 to carry out the attack. While a person of interest has been identified, authorities have yet to disclose specific details regarding the suspect or a potential motive.
“We are still trying to determine if the gunman had accomplices,” Tabares stated, noting that the investigation remains ongoing.
Meanwhile, the brutal killing has brought back chilling memories of an unsettling event that occurred on New Year’s Eve. During a routine radio exchange among members of the barangay council over a handheld radio, an unfamiliar voice unexpectedly interrupted with the message, “Condolence kay Kap nyo.”
Barangay kagawad Lilibeth Locsin recalled the moment, stating that the council construed the remark as a direct threat against Sapalo.
Following that incident, Sapalo briefly stayed with his sister, Marie Momla, for his safety. He returned to his own home in February, believing he could resume his duties without fear.
“He did not deserve this brutal fate… He would only come home during the day. He had no enemies among us,” Momla said, expressing her heartbreak and anger over his violent death./PN
