Police probes death of foreigner

POLICE authorities are now investigating the death of an American national and his Filipina companion who were shot Sunday evening in a beach in Opol town, Misamis Oriental.

Senior Inspector Edwin Ipan, chief of Opol Municipal Police Station, identified the fatalities as Michael Allan Turner, 51, temporarily residing at Tiano-Gomez Sts. in Cagayan de Oro, and a certain Sandra Paredes, 19, a resident of Gaabucayan Ext.

Ipan said Turner succumbed to two gunshot wounds in the head and body while Paredes also died from two gunshot wounds in her stomach from a caliber .45 pistol.

Police recovered some slugs and empty shells of .45 caliber at the crime scene.

“Maybe they were drinking prior to the incident since there were empty bottles in the area,” Ipan said.

Paredes was mistakenly identified as Turner’s wife, Marissa, but initial investigation showed it was Marissa who called up their lawyer, Alejandro Jose Pallugna, when she heard about the news.

Ipan said they are still conducting a thorough investigation on the incident after residents in the area claimed they did not hear any gunshots.

Authorities theorized that the suspects “may have used silencer” on their guns.

In a television interview, Ipan said police in Manticao, Misamis Oriental recovered a vehicle after it figured in an accident Sunday evening.

When searched, he said police found a gun and two “silencers.”

He said the vehicle is registered to Pallugna who confirmed he owned it but was borrowed by Turner.

“The vehicle was involved in an accident in Manticao. The suspects even have themselves treated in a hospital there. The gun and the silencers found in the vehicle may have been used by the suspects in killing the victims,” Ipan said.

He said they have already identified the suspects but refused to divulge their names pending further verification.

In can be recalled that Turner allegedly had a grudge with controversial car dealer and suspected smuggler Lynard Allan Bigcas in the past due to traffic issues.