The suspect in the fatal shooting of a former barangay secretary and public school teacher voluntarily surrendered to authorities at the Santa Maria Municipal Police Station in Bulacan on Saturday.

According to the Police Regional Office 3 (PRO3), the suspect turned himself in after learning that he had allegedly been identified by the victim before the latter died from his gunshot wounds.

The victim, Stephen “Gelo” Pagmanua Enriquez, 38, a former barangay secretary and teacher, succumbed to the injuries he sustained in the attack.

Investigators said Enriquez was able to make a dying declaration while undergoing medical treatment, identifying the person he believed was responsible for the shooting. The statement became a key piece of evidence that prompted police to intensify their investigation.

Following the victim’s declaration, investigators accelerated case build-up operations, gathered additional evidence, and completed witness documentation, eventually leading to the suspect’s voluntary surrender.

PRO3 said investigators are now finalizing the documentary requirements and consolidating all available evidence for the filing of a murder complaint before the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor in Malolos City, Bulacan.

Police have yet to disclose the identity of the suspect pending the formal filing of charges, while the motive behind the killing remains under investigation.