A former seafarer was shot dead while on the road of Barangay Soong in Lapu-Lapu City on August 15, 2019. | Contributed photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Police are calling on witnesses to come out and on the estranged wife of a former seaman to help shed light on the killing of her husband, who was ambushed by motorcycle-riding gunmen at past 6 a.m. in Barangay Soong, Lapu-Lapu City.
Police Sergeant Deen Sanchez of the Mactan Police Station said that they were calling on the witnesses, who would be willing to put their testimonies on record, so that they could move forward with the investigation of the killing of Gil Antonio, 57.
“Unta if naay nakakita sa pagpamusil, moduol sila namo aron mapalawman nato ang imbestigasyon. (If anyone has witnessed the incident, we hope they come to our police station to report so we can deepen the investigation),” said Sanchez.
Sanchez said witnesses could be a big help in the investigation especially since the area where the killing happened had no CCTVs (closed circuit television).
He also said that they were calling on the estranged wife of the victim to help them in the investigation and to shed light on the killing.
He said that they were investigating all possible angles in the killing including family conflict as a possible motive in the attack.
Read more: Former seafarer shot dead in Lapu-Lapu City
He said that they learned from the Antonio’s five-year-old son, who together with his two-year-old sister survived the ambush, that their parents had separated about a month ago.
This was confirmed by a relative of the victim who is from Cagayan de Oro City.
The relative told police that Antonio was from Cagayan de Oro City and had settled down with his wife in Lapu-Lapu City.
Sanchez said that they had tried to contact the estranged wife but she did not answer their calls.
He said Antonio’s two children were turned over to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
At past 6 a.m. today, August 15, Antonio was driving his two children, a five-year-old son and a two-year-old daughter, to school when he was ambushed in Barangay Soong, Lapu-Lapu City by two motorcycle-riding gunmen.
Antonio died in the attack while his son and daughter were unharmed./dbs