Drug suspect shoots dead alleged cohort

A teenage drug suspect gunned down an alleged cohort in Barangay Pasil, Cebu City Thursday evening on suspicion that the latter informed the police about his involvement in illegal drugs.

Nineteen-year-old Ronald Udto told police investigators after his arrest that he was angry at Rogelio Cabasa whom he believed squealed on his involvement in the illegal drugs trade.

Cabasa, 30, surrendered to police early this month during the implementation of the Oplan Tokhang, a campaign that involved policemen knocking on houses of drug suspects and asking them to surrender.

“The suspect admitted that he shot the victim because the latter gave information to the police about him,” said Senior Supt. Joel Doria, director of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO).

Doria believes people who are into drugs are now going against each other amid the government’s relentless drive against illegal drugs.

“This is a classic example that drug users and pushers are killing each other. We can’t categorically say that there are vigilantes because we don’t have any evidence. But here’s proof that drug suspects are at it,” he said.

Doria said Udto’s gun will be subjected to a ballistic test to find out whether he had a hand in previous other killings.

“His (Udto) arrest is a big help to us. We will conduct an investigation to get into the bottom of this incident,” the CCPO director said.

Asked if he’s in favor of a drug suspect killing another drug suspect, Doria said the rule of law should be upheld at all times. He said innocent civilians might get killed in their internal war.

“We have laws. Let the police do their job. Help us locate drug suspects and we will be the one to arrest them,” he said.

“As much as possible, we will contain them; otherwise, the innocent might be killed,” he explained.

But Police Regional Director Chief Supt. Noli Taliño said,“Magpatayan na sila lahat para mabawasan ang trabaho ng pulis. Kung ganon ang mangyayari, ang ating kapulisan ay mag-i-investigate na lang at mag-file ng kaso,” he told reporters in a separate interview.

(Let them kill each other so that the police will have one less task to do. If that happens, all the police will have to do is investigate and file appropriate charges)

Cabasa, a resident of Sitio Lawis Riverside in Barangay Pasil, Cebu City, had a drinking session with two men at past 11 p.m. Thursday when Udto suddenly approached and shot him four times.

Cabasa, a suspected drug pusher, suffered gunshot wounds on his abdomen and head.

He was rushed by residents of Barangay Pasil to the Cebu City Medical Center but was declared dead on arrival by the attending physician.

The Parian Police conducted a hot-pursuit operation and was able to arrest Udto. The police are currently preparing murder charges against Udto to be filed before the Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office.

According to police data, 73 suspected drug pushers were killed in police operations in Central Visayas, while 97 others were gunned down by still unidentified assailants from July 1 to August 25.

So far, only Udto was arrested from among all drug-related killings, not involving the police.