Drug suspect killed outside of restaurant in Maasin City

Two still unidentified gunmen killed Joseph Salvador Siega outside of a restaurant in downtown Massin City in Southern Leyte province Tuesday night, February 11, 2020. | Jani Arnaiz

MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte – Joseph Salvador Siega visited a restaurant located along the national highway in downtown Maasin City with his common-law partner and younger sister at around 6 p.m. on Tuesday, February 11, 2020.

While waiting for their food to be served, he stepped out of the restaurant to smoke, but he no longer made it back alive.

Siega, 32, was killed by two still unidentified gunmen who were waiting for him outside, said Police Leutenant Colonel Mark Nalda, chief of the Maasin Police Station.

The victim died from multiple gunshot wounds on his body.

Police recovered 13 empty shells coming from M16 rifles at the crime scene.

Nalda said they do not discount the possibility that Siega’s killing was drug-related.

He sid that Siega was recently released from detention for an illegal drug case.  He was arrested in a buy-bust operation last year and was freed after he entered into a plea bargaining agreement.

Quoting the outcome of their initial investigation, Nalda said that Siega’s gunmen disembarked from a black Ford Everest and fired shots at the victim using M16 rifles.

Witnesses in the area saw the still unidentified gunmen board the waiting vehicle and fled after they killed Siega.

Nalda said that Siega was already the second drug suspect who was killed in Maasin City this year.

City police are now looking at the possible link between the two killings since the victim in the first incident was also said to have been killed by a gunman who fled from the crime scene onboard a black Ford Everest.  The victim was also a drug suspect who was released from jail after he entered into a plea bargaining agreement. / dcb