CEBU CITY, Philippines – Unidentified perpetrators killed three men in separate incidents that happened within a 10-hours span here.
The killing started on Tuesday evening, March 10, 2020, when a senior high student, James Daniel Espinosa, was stabbed to death by alleged robbers in a dimly-lit area in Sitio Mahayahay, Barangay Pardo.
Pardo Police said Espinosa was with his 17-year-old girlfriend when the crime happened at around 9 p.m.
Read: Robbers kill 18-year-old college student, spare girlfriend in Barangay Pardo
Espinosa died due to a stab wound on his chest.
Initial investigation showed the victim attempted to fight it out with the thieves when they were about to steal his girlfriend’s smartphone.
Pardo Police arrested on Wednesday, March 11, 2020, one of the cohorts of the suspect.
Police said they are now looking into love triangle as possible motive of the killing based on the information disclosed by the first suspect caught.
James Daniel Espinosa, 18, lay lifeless on a dimly-lit portion of Barangay Pardo, Cebu City after he and his girlfriend were attacked by at least two knife-wielding robbers on Tuesday night. /CDND Photo Paul Lauro
Two hours later, police from Barangay Labangon, a neighboring village of Barangay Pardo, responded to a shooting alarm in Rocky Hills Village, Barangay Tisa.
The police identified the victim this time as Edgar Egdamin, 39, from Barangay Quiot, and a motorcycle-for-hire driver.
Investigation showed that men onboard another motorcycle fired at Egdamin shortly after dropping a passenger.
No one was able to see the faces of the assailants.
Police Corporal Argie Rubio, of the Labangon Police, said they still continue to investigate the motive of the killing.
On Wednesday morning, March 11, a garbage collector identified as a certain Bencio Laguras was found dead in White road in Barangay Inayawan.
Read: Garbage collector found dead in Barangay Inayawan
The victim’s body was found at 7 a.m. with a gunshot wound to the head.
Police Major John Kareen Escober, chief of Pardo police said they are verifying the information that the victim was involved in the illegal drug trade. /bmjo