One of the suspects behind the shooting of two persons in Barangay Poblacion Pardo, Cebu City has been arrested during a buy-bust operation on Thursday, February 22. | via Emmariel Ares
CEBU CITY, Philippines — One of the two suspects behind the shooting of two persons along the road in Barangay Poblacion Pardo, Cebu City on Tuesday evening, February 20, 2024, has been arrested.
As of this posting, Felix Niño Alima alias “Ciello,” 23, is detained at the custodial facility of the Inayawan Police Station.
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Alima is accused of being the driver of the motorcycle that the suspected gunman, alias “Mak-Mak” was riding as he fled the crime scene on Tuesday.
The first victim, Crissandra Jane Fernandez, was allegedly shot by the suspect because of jealousy after being involved in a love triangle.
The suspect was allegedly pushed over the edge after Fernandez insistently pestered her ex-lover despite the suspect’s repeated warnings to stop.
Another victim, a 16-year-old boy who was trying to help the wounded Fernandez, was shot by Mak-Mak who returned to the scene after a few seconds.
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A closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage captured Mak-Mak leaving onboard a motorcycle allegedly driven by Alima.
According to Police Major Jeciree Basitao, chief of Inayawan Police Station, the suspect was caught in a buy-bust operation early Thursday morning.
A police report showed that the drug bust was conducted in Sitio Upper Tabucanal, Barangay Poblacion Pardo, Cebu City at around 1:10 a.m. that day.
This resulted in the apprehension of Alima, who is also tagged as a high-value individual (HVI) by authorities.
Furthermore, they confiscated 10.28 grams of suspected shabu with a Standard Drug Price (SDP) of P69,904.
Basitao said that they later identified Alima as one of the suspects in the shooting incident when he was brought to the station.
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She further said that the 17-year-old who was shot and wounded on the leg has been released from the hospital.
Fernandez, on the other hand, remained at the hospital while recovering from her gunshot wounds as of this writing.
Basitao said that the victim was hit four times by the bullets from the suspect’s gun including one on her back and another one that shattered her shin.
Meanwhile, the arrested person’s mother came to the police station on Thursday to belie allegations that Felix Niño, the arrested suspect, was involved in the shooting.
His mother claimed that he could not be the suspect seen driving the motorcycle in a CCTV footage of the attack because Felix had no motorcycle.
However, she admitted to police that her son had been using illegal drugs for some time now.
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She said that her son told her and denied being involved in the attack.
As of this writing, Mak-Mak remains at large and is being hunted by police, said Basitao.
Basitao further encouraged the hiding suspect that it would be better for him to surrender because he would be arrested eventually.