A jail guard of the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center (CPDRC) may have been shot at dawn on Sunday, Nov. 25, because of a standing grudge.
This is what police are considering as the motive for the killing of Jessie Castañares, 33, a resident of E. Sabellano St., Barangay Pardo, Cebu City.
Two unidentified men ambushed him at the corner of Limkakeng and Happy Valley Streets in Barangay Guadalupe at 2:25 a.m.
The victim was on his motorcycle heading for the Labangon area when he was shot several times.
His attackers, who were both wearing jackets, were on board a blue scooter.
Shady past
According to one of the victim’s colleagues, he had spoken to Castañares inside the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) around 2 a.m. The victim had been assigned to guard a confined inmate in the hospital.
A 9mm pistol, six bullets from a .45 pistol and the victim’s belongings were recovered from the crime scene.
CPDRC warden Reynaldo Valmoria was surprised when he heard the news.
Valmoria told SunStar Cebu that Castañares was supposed to be inside the VSMMC from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. to guard an inmate.
“Nahibung gyud ko kay ting-duty man unta na niya nang orasa. Gaunsa man diay na siya didto (He was supposed to be on duty at the time of the attack. So what was he doing outside?” he told SunStar Cebu.
The warden, who assumed office last May, said he found out that during the time of his predecessor, Bobby Legaspi, Castañares was one of 12 jail guards and employees who were ordered suspended and underwent investigation for their alleged involvement in smuggling contraband inside the jail. Also suspended with Castañares was jail guard Joel Teves.
Tabunok ambush
Teves, jail guard Bernie Bayutas and inmate Jerryfer Perigrino were ambushed and killed by unidentified men in Barangay Kalunasan, Cebu City last September.
Valmoria, though, refused to speculate that Castañares was still involved in the smuggling of contraband before his death.
He said said they are closing coordinating with the Cebu City Police Office, which is investigating Castañares’ murder.
Also on Sunday, Nov. 25, a retired police officer and his unidentified companion were shot dead by unidentified assailants in front of a mall in Barangay Tabunok, Talisay City.
According to a radio dyHP report, SPO1 Edgar Causon was on board a motorcycle with a passenger heading for Cebu City when they were shot several times.
The two men died instantly.
Police have yet to determine the motive for and the people behind the attack.
Before his retirement, Causon was assigned as a traffic cop in Talisay City. (JKV, HBL OF SUPERBALITA CEBU)