Barangay Ilaya Councilor Ramil Abueva was shot dead in an ambush on Sunday, April 7, in Ronda town in northwestern Cebu. /Contributed Photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Politics and drugs.
These are the two possible motives that the Ronda police are focusing on in the killing of Barangay Ilaya Councilor Ramil Abueva on Sunday, April 7, in Ronda, a southwestern town 90 km from Cebu City.
Police Captain Rodgene Fudotan, Ronda Police Station chief, told CDN Digital in a phone interview on Sunday, April 7, that they were investigating politics as a possible in the shooting death of Abueva because he was a barangay councilor of Ilaya.
Fudotan said that another possible motive that they were focusing on would be the victim’s allegedly being involved in the illegal drug trade.
Fudotan said that they had just learned that Abueva was in the Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) watchlist of persons allegedly involved in illegal drugs in the province.
Fudotan, however, said that he had yet to get this watchlist from the CPPO.
Read more: Ronda barangay Councilor killed in Sunday morning ambush
According to the police investigation, Abueva was on his way home when he was shot dead by a gunman riding a car.
Abueva, who was riding a motorcycle, came from the town’s public market and was on his way home in Purok Mangga, but when he reached Purok Saging, Sitio Tab-ang, a few meters from his home, he noticed a man in a car with a gun.
So he made a U turn away from the vehicle to escape the gunman, but unfortunately, the gunman pursued Abueva and caught up with him.
Abueva jumped off his motorcycle to avoid getting hit when the gunman started firing at him.
Despite his action, Abueva was hit several times in the body. The assailant then fled after he saw the victim fall to the ground.
Abueva was then rushed to the hospital for treatment but he did not the hospital alive.
According to data from the CPPO, Abueva was arrested in 2017 after unlicensed guns were found inside his home.
The raid on Abueva’s house was conducted by the Provicial Intelligence Branch.
A search warrant was served on Abueva, and his house was searched which yielded a .38 caliber revolver and a .45 caliber pistol, which were both unlicensed firearms./dbs