Police urged to solve killings in Metro Cebu

Supt. Tolentin

Amid the series of killings in Metro Cebu, police officers were urged to leave no stone unturned and to continue identifying the assailants to render justice to the victims.

Supt. Reymar Tolentin, information officer of Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7), said police officers are mandated to investigate the murders regardless of who the victims were.

“Every killing has to be investigated, and the wheels of justice must keep moving,” he said in phone interview on Saturday.

“Police investigators must not leave the killings unsolved, and remember that part of our duty as policemen is to investigate and go after criminals,” he added.

Over 20 persons were gunned down in the cities of Cebu, Lapu-Lapu, Mandaue and Talisay and Minglanilla town since Feb. 16, based on police reports.

Most of the victims were killed by still unidentified assailants while at least five, including a police officer, died in separate anti-drug operations.

Tolentin said there is nothing much to worry since most of these cases were caused by personal grudges, and were not carried out by a particular group.

He said the police will nonetheless go after unlicensed firearms in an attempt to address the killings.

“Our operations against loose firearms will continue to stop would-be killers,” Tolentin said.

He said more policemen shall also be deployed in key areas to discourage assailants.

“Police visibility can also help,” he said.

Tolentin called on the public to help law enforcers stop the killings.

“If you know of something about these murders, please inform the police. While it’s hard to control the minds of these killers, the community can help us a lot,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU)of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) arrested two suspected drug pushers in a drug bust in Barangay Duljo Fatima on Friday evening.

Dominic Padila Sy, 27; and Loraine Magale, 34, did not resist arrest.

Seized from the suspects were packs of shabu valued at P8,496.

Chief Insp. Christopher Navida, head of the City Intelligence Branch (CIB), said they conducted surveillance operations against the suspects for three weeks.

Complaints are set to be filed against Padilla and Magale for violating Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, particularly for possession and selling of illegal drugs.

The offense is non-bailable.