A single mother was shot dead at past 7 p.m. on Tuesday, September 17, in Sitio Kasagingan, Banawa, Brgy. Guadalupe, Cebu City. | Paul Lauro
CEBU CITY, Philippines – A single mother was shot dead while visiting an Internet Cafe in Sitio Kasagingan, Brgy. Guadalupe, Cebu City Tuesday night, September 17.
Police said that Baby Lyn Baclayon Gabutan alias “Bingbing” was sitting outside an Internet Cafe to connect to their Wifi when the two suspects arrived.
One of the two men shot Gabutan, 40, on the head which caused her immediate death.
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The two suspects were arrested a few hours later or at around 5 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 18, in their respective residences in Brgy. Tisa, during a hot pursuit operation. They were identified as Eduard Ace Tabuada, 28, and Rolly Canta, 27.
Police Major Miles Damoslog, chief of Guadalupe Station, said that the two men had admitted to killing Gabutan but they would not say who ordered the kill.
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Damaslog said that the two also claimed that it was their first time to kill someone.
As of this writing, Guadalupe police continue to investigate the two suspects to determine if they were guns-for-hire or members of an organized crime group.
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They are also trying to determine the motive of the killing, which may include illegal drugs.
Fatal shooting
Based on the outcome of their investigation, Guadalupe police said that Gabutan, who was also a former Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW), was sitting outside an Internet Cafe when the suspects arrived at around 7 p.m. on Tuesday.
One of the suspects brought out a .45 caliber pistol and shot her on the head. The two then casually walked away from the crime scene.
Gabutan’s fatal shooting was recorded on CCTV.
Luckily, the two minors, who were playing at the Internet Cafewhen the shooting incident happened, were unharmed.
Damaslog said that a witness helped them identify the two suspects. CCTV recordings, that captured the clothes that they wore, also helped in their investigation.
But they failed to recover the gun that the suspects used because this was already thrown away.
The two suspects are currently detained at the custodial facility of the Guadalupe Police Station while police prepare for the filing of murder charges against them.