A frustrated homicide charge was filed on Monday against a former convict who has been accused of shooting the chief tanod (village watchman) of a barangay in Cortes town who meanwhile remained under intensive care at a hospital in Tagbilaran City.

The suspect, identified as Ramonito Sebandal, 34, of Barangay Upper dela Paz, Cortes, was arrested in a hot pursuit operation an hour after the shooting at 8 p.m. on Friday last week, said Staff Sgt. Joel Orapa, chief investigator for the Cortes Police Station.

Sebandal was caught in possession of a .357 caliber revolver which was believed to have been used to shoot the victim, Edwin Vecencio, 47, the chief tanod of Barangay Upper dela Paz.

According to Orapa, police were looking into love triangle as the motive behind the shooting.

Orapa said that Jocelyn Balane Vecencio, who is married to the victim and has three children with him, has not made any follow-up on the case and could not be found at their residence.

“Kining suspect naa kunoy intimate relationship sa wife sa biktima,” said Orapa. “Na corroborated pud namo na na theory kay ang wife wa pud siya magpakita sa station mangumusta sa [kaso sa] iyang bana, wa pud niadto og hospital.”

Meanwhile, Vecencio was already in stable condition but was kept at the intensive care unit of the Governor Celestino Gallares Memorial Hospital in Tagbilaran City for further monitoring.

Vecencio was on duty at a basketball court in his village when he was shot three times by the suspect.

He however was not hit and the pistol later malfunctioned allowing the victim to try and grab the firearm. During the scuffle, the gun was discharged and Vecencio was hit with a bullet in the stomach.

There were witnesses who saw the incident including residents who were playing basketball at the open court where Vecencio was stationed. (A. Doydora)