Police: Drugs, business rivalry possible motives for May 28 killings in Cebu City

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CEBU CITY, Philippines — Policemen in Cebu City are considering drugs and business rivalry as possible motives in the three killings that happened on Friday, May 28.

Police Lieutenant Colonel Wilbert Parilla, deputy director for operations of the Cebu City Police Office (CPPO), said they are now focusing on the two motives as they continue to look for the perpetrators of the killings that happened in a span of 14 hours.

Also, Parilla said that they will have to “realign” the deployment of police officers to ensure their visibility on city streets.

READ: CCPO exec: Expert more cops in Cebu City’s streets

The first to be killed at around 4 a.m. on Friday was sidewalk vendor Johaiber Abdulgani, a native of Lanao del Sur.

Abdulgani, 28, now resides in Barangay Pahina Central in Cebu City.

READ: Police eye personal grudge in early morning shooting in Cebu City

Twelve hours later, Elizabeth Grates of Barangay Mabolo was also shot dead while at the vicinity of the Chinese Cemetery in Barangay Carreta.  Police recovered small sachets of suspected shabu from the victim’s possession.

“So they are considering nga drug-related gyud ni sila nga kaso because based on the accounts sad sa anak atong biktima, duna ni siyay ka estorya sa cellphone nga murag gaaway ni sila before ni siya nahitabo. So mao ni atoang gisubay ron asta ang cellphone gipangayo na nato sa atoang imbestigador,” Parilla added.

(We are considering the murder as drug-related because according to the son, his mother was arguing with someone on the phone prior to her death. We already asked our investigators to produce the victim’s cellphone.)

At 5 p.m. of the same day, Arnel Gaviola was also killed in Sitio Calumpang in Barangay Inayawan.

Pardo Police Station Chief Caesar Acompanado earlier identified Gaviola as a notorious drug user and thief in their area. / dcb

READ: Cebu City shooting incidents:2 men. 1 woman killed in 14 hours