A 34-year-old man, who was previously arrested for illegal drugs, is killed by an unidentified assailant inside his house in Sitio Kahuyan Alaska, Brgy. Mambaling in Cebu City on early Thursday morning, August 22. | Paul Lauro
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Police have identified two persons of interest behind the killing of an ex-convict inside his residence in Sitio Kahuyan Alaska, Brgy. Mambaling in Cebu City on Thursday, August 22.
Police Major Efren Diaz Jr., chief of the Mambaling Police Station, said this in an interview with local media on Friday, August 23.
READ MORE:
Police arrest 18-year-old suspected ‘hitman’ in Mambaling shootings
1 dead in Lapu-Lapu City shooting
PCO: Lower crime rate during Marcos term vs previous admin
Cebu City killing: how it happened
The victim, identified as 34-year-old Gilbert Gelbolingo, was inside his house when the assailants entered at around 2:00 a.m.
According to police, Gelbolingo was awake at the time of the incident.
His uncle, Eddie, said in an interview with local radio station dyHP that he heard two gunshots on early Thursday morning.
When he peeked through the window, he said that he saw someone inside his nephew’s house. However, he could not make out the face as it was dark.
Moments later, he saw his nephew lying on the ground with a single gunshot wound on his head.
READ MORE:
Pasay shooting: 2 men killed inside billiards hall
CHR launches probe into shooting of Laguna journalist
According to Diaz, Gelbolingo did not make it alive to the hospital.
The police chief also said that they were looking at illegal drugs as the possible motive behind the shooting.
He said that investigation showed that the victim allegedly failed to remit the payment for illegal drugs.
Gelbolingo was an ex-convict who was previously arrested for illegal drug and charges of robbery, said Diaz.
Before he allegedly began his illegal activities, Gelbolingo finished school as a criminology student.
Operatives also recovered illegal drugs and drug paraphernalia from inside his house on Thursday.
As of this writing, two persons of interest, who are acquaintances with the victim, have been identified.
Diaz said that they were conducting a hot-pursuit operation to catch the persons responsible for Gelbolingo’s death.