Tabogon ambush: 2 suspects nabbed

Musgot of the suspects in the murder of a hardware store owner in Tabogon, Cebu. | Contributed photos

CEBU CITY, Philippines – Authorities here already detained two suspects whom they believed may have been connected to the daylight ambush in Tabogon town, northern Cebu that killed a hardware store owner last Monday, March 31.

Police from Tabogon and Mambaling Police Stations confirmed arresting the two men in Brgy. Mambaling here on Tuesday, April 1.

The suspects were identified as Rodel Jugadora Gonzaga Jr. and Vicente Sameon Avanceña. Both were arrested in their residences in Sitio Ipil-Ipil, Brgy. Mambaling, Cebu City.

READ: Hardware store owner killed in broad daylight in Tabogon, Cebu

According to initial investigations, Gonzaga and Avanceña were alleged gun-for-hire and may have been hired to kill the victim Dionisio Dosdos Jr.

Police also recovered from the two suspects two guns, including a caliber .45 pistol that had a U.S. Army registration number, and at least eight live ammunition, two handheld radios, a red-colored helmet and a gun case with the marking “Tanfoglio.”

READ: Tabogon murder: Missing woman found inside sack and dumped in a canal

Tabogon ambush

Investigators managed to track down Gonzaga and Avanceña after gathering witnesses accounts and surveillance footage within the proximity of the crime scene, which was the highway along Brgy. Ilihan in Tabogon town.

Dosdos was waylaid while traveling down the road. The two gunmen’s first attempted to shoot him failed and when Dosdos got out of his car, they fired once again, fatally hitting the victim on different parts of his body.

READ: Missing 6-year-old boy in Tabogon found dead in river

Police said they also confiscated what looked like the getaway vehicles – a gray Mitsubishi automobile and a motorcycle registered to Gonzaga, after witnesses positively identified seeing them on the crime scene. They have also seen the gray car tailing Dosdos shortly before the ambush happened, police added.

Investigations continue to determine the motive as well as the identity of the mastermind behind the killing.