Council wants probe on killings

5 suspected drug pushers killed by unidentified gunmen in Cebu City, province

Cebuanos must know real picture behind killings, says councilor

FIVE suspected drug pushers were shot to death by unidentified assailants in Cebu City, Compostela, Carmen and Naga City.

From July 1 until yesterday, the police recorded 50 deaths of suspected drug pushers, who were mostly killed by two motorcycleriding assailants.

The Cebu City Council wants the killings investigated. It has formed a fourman fact-finding committee to look into the drug-related killings in the city.

Councilor Raymond Garcia will head the committee, with Councilors Jerry Guardo, Philip Zafra and Jose Daluz III as members.

Councilor Pastor Alcover Jr., who authored the resolution creating the committee, said the creation of the group will help the legislative body craft laws.

The committee will also help the investigation of several government agencies like the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) 7 and the Philippine National Police (PNP), among other law enforcement agencies.

Alcover said Cebuanos want a clearer picture and information involving several shooting incidents reportedly related to illegal drugs.

For the past days since President Rodrigo Duterte assumed office, several individuals who are allegedly involved in the illegal drug trade had been killed, both by legitimate police operations and unknown assailants.

Functions

But during the Council’s discussion yesterday, Councilor Sisinio Andales asked if the functions of the committee will not overlap with the functions of other agencies, like the Commission on Human Rights and police.

But Alcover clarified it will just be a fact-finding and will just come up with recommendations. It will not have to do with the filing of cases after the investigation.

Daluz said that the body just wanted to know the facts of the killings in the city, particularly the extrajudicial ones.

“We want to know if they are killings by a syndicate or random killings. We want to know because we want to help the police also. Maybe we can give more budget for the police because we want to solve these killings,” he said.

Andales and Councilors Alvin Arcilla, Joy Augustus Young and Mary Ann delos Santos objected to the resolution.

At 2:20 a.m. yesterday, an unidentified man was found dead with a gunshot wound in the body in Barangay Ermita, Cebu City.

Homicide investigators found a signage that says, “Pusher ako, ayaw ko ninyo sunda (I’m a pusher, don’t be like me),” attached to

the victim’s body.

No one knew the victim, who had short pants and light blue shirt on. The man was of medium build and in his late 30s.

Four hours later, former barangay official Alfredo Saballa was shot to death by two men riding on a motorcycle in Barangay Sinsin, Cebu City.

Saballa suffered gunshot wounds in the head and other parts of his body after he was shot at least three times.

Police had gathered reports that the victim was a junkie and he was in the police watch list of drug personalities.

Last month, Saballa reportedly surrendered during Oplan Tokhang, TV Patrol reported.

His mother denied the victim was a drug pusher.

In Barangay Pangdan, Naga City, alleged thief and drug pusher Rewel Manlangit Alimento was gunned down by two assailants at 5:30 p.m.

Alleged illegal drug trader Vicente Maningo was shot thrice by two identified men in the reclamation area in Barangay Poblacion, Carmen at 9:30 p.m.

Fifty minutes earlier, Joan Jayme died after he was shot by two motorbike-riding men in Barangay Poblacion, Compostela.

The victim, a suspected drug pusher and hitman, succumbed to gunshot wounds in different parts of his body.

The police recovered a .38 revolver with five bullets, a hand grenade, eight empty shells of .45 pistol, three bullets, two deformed slugs, a cell phone, and drug paraphernalia.

In Sibonga, alleged drug dealer Renante Taneo Sacnahon was wounded in the body after he tried to shoot at a police officer who was part of the team trying to arrest him in a buy-bust.

Police seized 13 packs of white crystals believed to be shabu and drug paraphernalia from him.

A complaint for violating Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, will be filed against him.