Suspect in seaman's murder nabbed

By Franco Jose C. Baroña

STA. CRUZ, Ilocos Sur – The family of the slain seaman-businessman in Ilocos Sur is seeking protection from the local police and the National Bureau of Investigation after receiving threats to their lives, even as police arrested the suspect.
    The victim was identified as 43-year-old Patrick Santos Abdon, a resident of Sevilla village in Sta. Cruz.
     He was shot to death on the night of June 18.
    The suspect, 38-year-old Glorioso Jeff Suyat Cauton, married and a resident of Poblacion Sur also of Sta. Cruz, later surrendered to authorities after the crime was committed.
    The victim's white Chevrolet Trailblazer with license plate NCQ 5406 and five bullet casings were recovered at the crime scene.
    The family of Abdon also expressed their intention to ask local police to protect a lone witness to the killing even as the gun used in the shooting still has not surfaced.
    Based on the statement of the witness identified only as "Ariel," he accompanied Abdon to the house of Cauton on the night of the shooting.
    He said the victim told him that he will just invite Cauton to celebrate Father's Day.
    Ariel said when they arrived at the suspect's house, the victim told him to wait inside the vehicle.
    The witness said he heard the voice of the victim calling out for someone inside the house before he heard a series of gunshots.
    Ariel added that he later saw the victim rolling on the grass in front of the house to avoid the gunshots.
    The witness said he panicked by what he just witnessed, and moved to the driver's seat from the passenger seat.
When he failed to start the car, the witness said he was forced to run to get help.
    Although Cauton surrendered to the police, the suspect did not provide any explanation as to why he shot the victim several times.
    The victim's wife, Dr. Ma. Norvilyn Ragasa Abdon, said they still could not fully understand why Cauton shot her husband.
    "Patrick treated Jeff like a brother. We do not know why he did this," said Dr. Abdon.