Man kills wife, lesbian in North Cotabato

KIDAPAWAN CITY – A55-year old husband shot dead his own wife after a heated argument while inside the family’s compound at Purok Rosal in Poblacion, Matalam, around 6 a.m., Tuesday, police reports said.Senior Inspector Sunny Leoncito, chief of Matalam Police, identified the slain wife as Evelyn dela Torre-Belgira, 54, employee at the Matalam municipal government.Also dead was a certain Miraluna Brigole, 27, who worked as laborer in the Belgira’s family.Brigole, according to Leoncito, was a member of the Lesbian-Gay-Bi-Transgender (LGBT) family.Wounded were Evelyn’s father, Eduard dela Torre, and younger sister, Vivien dela Torre-Ybanez, both residents of Purok Rosal, when they tried to pacify the suspect identified as Danilo Diaz Belgira.The old dela Torre was hit on his left arm while Ybanez on her chest.Both were rushed to the Madonna General Hospital in Kidapawan City for treatment.Also dead was the suspect himself, Danilo, after he engaged in a shootout with some responding policemen.Leoncito said the ruckus inside Belgira’s compound started when Danilo confronted his wife on some ‘personal’ matters.Accordingly, Danilo was jealous about his wife’s alleged closeness with Brigole.Not satisfied with the explanation he heard, Danilo took his caliber pistol and twice pumped bullets into his wife’s chest.Leoncito said that when the old dela Torre and Ybanez heard the shots, they went out from their houses and saw Evelyn’s body oozing with blood.When they tried to go near Evelyn, they, too, were hit by Danilo’s pistol, the police officer added.The houses of Eduard and Ybanez are located inside Belgira’s compound.Leoncito said he sent his men led by Senior Police Officer 3 Ronald Guardiano to respond to the crime scene after he received a distress call from some residents in the area.After Police Officer 1 Albert Amor Asildique disembarked from the police car, the suspect shot him without any provocation, according to reports.Asildique sustained wounds on his neck and head. When we saw what happened with Asildique, it prompted our men to return fire against Danilo who was hit on his left armpit and left back, said Leoncito.When the suspect was already disarmed, it was then that the police brought all the victims to the nearest hospital.Leoncito did not say why Danilo was armed.Belgira, Dela Torre, and Ybanez were rushed to Madonna Hospital in Kidapawan City whileBrigole at the North Cotabato Provincial Hospital.Danilo was rushed to Babol Medical Hospital in Matalam and later transferred to the provincial hospital.Belgira expired at the Madonna Hospital, while Brigole and Danilo were declared dead upon arrival at the provincial hospital.The police recovered from Belgira’s compound a caliber 45 pistol, a 12-gauge shotgun, and several spent bullets from Danilo’s two guns.Relatives denied the claim of Danilo about the alleged illicit affair.