Gullas to city residents: Don’t be scared, police investigating Manipis killings

Talisay City Mayor Gerald Anthony Gullas. | Photo grabbed from the Facebook page of Samsam Gullas

CEBU CITY, Philippines – Talisay City Mayor Gerald Anthony Gullas has given the assurance that the police remain on top of the peace and order situation in their city despite the recent discovery of two bodies that were left along the road in Baragay Manipis.

Gullas said that Talisay City Police Chief Gerard Ace Pelare and his men are working for the immediate resolution of the two killings.

“Yesterday (Sunday), I received reports and concerned messages in my Facebook page about the discovery of a body in Barangay Manipis believed to have been summarily executed by unidentified gunmen,” Gullas posted on his Facebook page this morning, February 24, 2020.

“But we can assure that Maj. Pelare and his personnel are working to solve the case so we can identify and arrest those responsible,” he added.

Read: Another body found in Manipis; cops to public: Help us identify body

In the same FB post, Gullas shared that the body that was found in Campo 5 in Barangay Manipis, Sunday dawn, had already been identified as a certain Terencio Cabahug from the neighboring San Fernando town.

Gullas said that Cahabug is renting a house in Barangay Tabunok in their city.

Read more: Talisay police after suspect in killing of still-unidentified man in Brgy Manipis

Cahabug’s body was found about 300 meters away from the area where another body was also found early on Wednesday morning.

The first victim was in his late 20s or early 30s while illegal drugs were found in his body.

“When I was briefed by Major Pelare, our police chief, of Cabahug’s case, he told me that the victim was allegedly a high-value drug target (HVT),” Gullas said.

Gullas said that while this was not the first time that “salvaging” incidents had been reported in Barangay Manipis, it was still too early to conclude that the two killings were related.

“This was not the first time I have received reports of similar “salvaging” incidents in our city. A few days ago, a man that was reportedly thrown off a van and shot repeatedly was found in the same barangay. For now, we can’t conclude if the two incidents are related,” he said.