CEBU, Philippines - Two persons died including an alleged illegal drug runner in separate shooting incidents in Toledo City and in the northern town of Liloan, Cebu.
Found dead at about 6:30 in the morning on Monday with three gunshot wounds at the back of his body was Rusel Aguanta of Sitio Polo Baliwagan, Barangay Poblacion, Balamban.
A fisherman found Aguanta lying lifeless on the shores of Purok Aroma, Barangay Dumlog, Toledo City.
Police recovered three pieces of cartridge cases of 9mm pistol believed to have been used by the unidentified assailant.
Senior Police Officer 1 Benedicto Bobilles Jr, Toledo City police investigator, suspected that the motive of the killing could be the illegal drug trade after police recovered five small packets of shabu inside his wallet.
“Because of the evidence recovered it could possibly point nga involved sa drugs ang crime,” he said.
Other items found were P240 cash, assorted sim cards and his driver’s license.
Bobilles said Aguanta was not in their illegal drugs watchlist. The Balamban Police Station, though, has yet to determine if Aguanta was in their list.
Aguanta left their house more than a month ago now for unknown reasons, Bobilles said. The police are still checking where he was temporarily residing.
Meanwhile, a man who was having a drinking session was shot dead by an unidentified person during the barangay fiesta of San Vicente, Liloan on Sunday.
Lorenzo Trasporto, 26, of Sitio Tabay Lawom, San Vicente died from the gunshot wounds on his nape while he was being taken to the Eversley Sanitarium hospital in Barangay Jagobiao, Mandaue City.
Police Officer 2 Ernesto Pepito said that two groups of men were drinking separately near a benefit dance. At about 3:50 in the morning, a man from one of the two groups fired a gun twice, but no one was hit.
When the said group was walking home, they saw the group where Trasporto belonged and without any reason, shot the victim from behind.
Police said nobody could identify the group or even the gunman since they were not from the barangay.
Police are still gathering information from friends of Trasporto who were with him at the time of the incident. — (FREEMAN)