Revenge linked to drugs eyed in Cebu City killing

Revenge in relation to illegal drugs was the possible motive in killing a man in Barangay Lorega, Cebu City. | Photo courtesy of PS2

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Revenge related to illegal drugs is the possible motive in the killing of a 20-year-old man, whom police described as a suspected hitman of alleged drug personalities in Barangay Lorega, Cebu City.

Major Albert Quilitorio, Parian Police Station chief, said that Jemuel Flores, who was shot dead last March 24 in the barangay, was the suspect in the killing in February this year and November last year of two drug personalities in Barangay Lorega.

Quilotorio said that they had been looking for Flores after he was tagged as the suspect in those two killings.

“Kaning amoang initial investigation, ang biktima usa sa suspect sa shooting before based sa description sa nakakita pagkahitabo. Ang description sa atoang witness is siya man kay taga Lorega ra man sad ni siya ang biktima,” Quilitorio said.

(In our initial investigation, the victim was one of the suspects in a shooting incident before and that was based on the description of our witness, who is also from Lorega, where the victim [Flores] also lived.)

“Ang kato iyang gipamusil mga naay record or personality pod sa drugs. At the same time, siya pod, kay nganong sige man syag pusil, naa gyud syay giprotektahan ug karon nabawsan sad siya,” he said.

(Those, whom Flores, shot dead had records or drug personalities. At the same time, why did he shoot them, so he was possibly protecting somebody and now somebody retaliated and shot him [Flores] dead.]

Quilitorio said that they did not include the face of  Flores then in the police’s Rogues gallery because they did not know how he looked like until the time that he was shot and killed.

With Flores’s alleged background, the Parian Police chief said that they were considering revenge related to illegal drugs as a possible motive in the killing.

Quilitorio said initial investigation showed that Flores had just came from a drinking spree with five individuals when an unidentified shooter killed him on the evening of March 24.

“Sige pod namo pangita ang biktima pero wa sad namo makit-i. Basin natimingan nga nianha sya sa Lorega. Nakit-an pod sya sa suspect, nga nagdumot pod sa iya,” the Parian Police chief said.

(We have also been looking for the victim [Flores], but we could not find him. Perhaps, the killer chanced upon the victim [Flores,] when he visited Lorega. The unidentified suspect, who had a grudge against him [Flores], might have also seen him there.)

Quilitorio said that the killer used a .45 caliber pistol in shooting Flores as could be gleaned from the empty slugs in the crime scene.

Flores’ companions told police that the shooter, who was only wearing a face mask to cover his face, calmly walked away from the crime scene and escaped. 

The police chief said that the assailant only attacked Flores and no one in the group were hurt by the shooter.

“Sakto lang ang lawas, wala kuno magtabon. Nagtuo nga taga dinha ra. Nagface mask, wala nagtabon sa tibuok ulo. Kung makaila tas usa ka tawo, makaila baya ta bisag naay face mask,” Quilitorio said.

(He was of the right build, and he did not cover his face. We believed that he lives in the area. He was wearing a face mask and did not cover his whole face. If we recognize a person, we can recognize him even if he is wearing a face mask.)

Quilitorio also said that he could not describe where Flores was hit because he and the police team were waiting for the results of the investigation of the Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO).

He also said that Flores had no prior records except for his being linked to two shooting incidents in the barangay.

He said that they were also securing CCTV footage in the area and gathering witnesses accounts in the hope of finding out the identity of the killer.

READ:

Tour guide killed in Cebu City’s Mango Avenue

Cops in slay of a Cebu couple surrender