Talisay Police: Man found dead hanging from Mananga Bridge was a notorious robber

Police examine the scene where a man was found dead, hanging from the Mananga Bridge in Talisay City. CDN Digital photo | Benjie Talisic

Talisay City, Cebu—The Talisay City Police have identified the man found dead hanging from the Mananga Bridge here on Monday morning, July 22, 2019.

Police Captain Nazareno Emia, deputy chief of the Talisay City Police Station, identified the victim as 41-year-old Reynante Otero, a resident of Sitio Ilang-Ilang, Barangay San Isidro here. 

Otero, who had gunshot wounds in his body and whose face was covered with a carton with text that read “Ayaw ko sunda, tulisan ko” (Don’t be like me, I’m a thief), is believed to be a notorious robber in the area.  

Emia said based on initial investigation, the victim has been jailed before for different cases such as robbery, illegal drugs, and illegal possession of firearms. This is also the information they got from the neighbors of the victim.

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Talisay City Mayor Samsam Gullas also said in a Facebook post that police believe the victim may be part of a robbery group.

Gullas, in his post, said Talisay City Police responded to the scene after receiving a call from a concerned citizen at around 6 a.m.

“[Police] Major [Orlando] Carag (Talisay City Police Office chief) told me that so far, they are looking at numerous angles, including its relation to the spate of highway robberies in Barangay San Isidro,” Gullas said in his Facebook post.

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According to Gullas, police said “the victim may have been part of a group of robbers who were victimizing innocent people along San Isidro.”

Still, Gullas said he urged the police to look into the killing and put the people behind this behind bars. 

“I have ordered Major Carag to immediately solve the matter and if possible, identify the culprits and put them behind bars,” the mayor said in his post. “I urged my constituents to trust on the police to solve the murder.”

Police vowed to investigate further the incident to find out who was behind the crime and what the motive of the killing was. 

Barangay San Isidro Councilor Alicia Alcover, meanwhile, verified claims of the police that the victim has been involved in robbery incidents in the area. /bmjo