Alcantara shooting victim was a drug surrenderer; cops looking at crime as drug-related killing
A drug surrenderer, who admitted to being a drug user, was shot dead last Saturday by two unidentified gunmen on a motorcycle in Barangay Palanas, Alcantara town in southeastern Cebu.
John Anthony Quilaton, 24, of Barangay Palanas died after he was shot several times in the body by two gunmen, said PO1 Ben Buena of the Alcantara police station yesterday.
According to police investigation, Quilaton, a lumber shop helper, was sifting fine sand in a lumber shop beside the road when two armed men on a motorcycle, who were wearing bonnets, passed by and shot Quilaton several times.
Buena said they recovered 7 empty shells of a caliber .45 pistol at the crime scene.
Buena said they were looking into the shooting as a possible drug-related killing. However, they were also looking for other possible motives for the crime.
Buena said that Quilaton surrendered to police last July as a drug user during their Oplan Tokhang in the town.
Buena, however, said that the victim was also arrested for direct assault last August but he was later released after he settled the case with the person who accused him of the crime.
The Philippine National Police in an early report pegged the number of drug suspects shot dead by unknown assailants in Central Visayas at 130 from July 1 when President Rodrigo Duterte assumed office until Oct. 3.
Police classified these killings as “Death Under Investigation” cases.
In Barangay Tangke, Talisay City in southern Cebu, also last Saturday, six persons were arrested in an anti-illegal drug operation by the city’s police force.
Talisay police said they arrested Maljun Cabanit, the target of the operation, and his cohorts, Jason Cabuenas and Arnik Cabando during a raid in Cabanit’s house, led by Talisay Police Chief, Supt. Aileen Recla.
Police also confiscated from the three suspects 13 sachets and one medium pack worth at least P17,000 and a .22 caliber revolver.
The “Oplan Double Barrel” operation also led to the arrest of three other persons who were allegedly caught inside the house, which police considered as a drug den.
Those caught inside the house were Lorito Mabala, 62, Celton Barliso, 27, and Marlon Mabala of legal age.
They were arrested for visiting a drug den and police also confiscated from them seven sachets of illegal drugs.
The suspects were detained at the Talisay police station pending the filing of charges.