Drug trade rivalry angle eyed

CCPO director says they have 5 possible suspects in the killing of resort owner’s son

A RIVALRY in the illegal drug trade is now being looked into by the police as an angle in the fatal shooting of Talisay City businessman Antonio “Tony Hapon” Santos.

Senior Supt. Melvin Ramon Buenafe, head of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), said the 39-year-old son of a resort owner was allegedly involved in drug pushing.

“It could be that other players in the illegal activity are mad at him,” Buenafe said.

Santos was shot dead by a suspected gun-for-hire in Barangay Kalunasan, Cebu City Wednesday afternoon. He was also allegedly involved in illegal numbers games, such as masiao and swertes.

Police units are coordinating their efforts in the investigation.

Buenafe said they are validating information about five men tagged as possible suspects.

“The information has to be properly investigated,” he said.

In a conference on the case yesterday, Buenafe directed Homicide Section Chief Jul Mohammad Jamiri to widen their investigation.

As to the connection between Santos and the inmate at the Cebu City Jail whom he visited a day before his murder, police said inmate Ariel “Bobong” Degamo was uncooperative.

“It’s understandable because he fears for his life,” Buenafe said.

Degamo, who was imprisoned for the last two years for robbery with homicide and frustrated murder, came from Gingoog, Misamis Oriental.

“There were reports that witnesses and victims were afraid of him. He was believed to be influential,” Buenafe said.

Buenafe said they suspect Degamo was the last person Santos talked to before he was killed.

Investigators found several calls registered on Santos’s cellular phone that they believe will lead them to his killer.

The robbery of a forwarding company in Barangay Looc, Mandaue City that happened on the same day is also being considered by the police as related to Santos’ death.

“We still have to establish that,” Buenafe said.

Earlier, Santos’ father Pablito, the owner of Villa Teresita Resort in Barangay Biasong, Talisay City, said his son also operated a card game called “sakla” in Bulacan Province. That was aside from his alleged illegal gambling operations in Visayas and Mindanao.

Santos allegedly started his illegal business in the 1990s and stopped in 2006. Reports, however, said he didn’t stop the business.

Santos, a father of two, was shot dead allegedly by his passenger inside his sports utility vehicle at 1:45 p.m. Wednesday. He was hit in the temple, nape and chin.