UPDATED--Two men, who recently posted bail for illegal drug possession, were gunned down insidea taxi cab in Barangay Dumlog, Talisay City on Friday afternoon, May 4.
Police are looking to various angles including illegal drugs as a possible motive behind the murders of Joel Generalao and Alvin Morales Cueva, both residents of Sitio Kimba, Barangay San Roque.
Police Staff Sergeant Glenn Besande, an investigator of the Talisay City Police Station, told SunStar Cebu that they initially received a call from a concerned citizen concerning a shooting incident in Barangay Dumlog at around 4 p.m. on Friday.
When they got to the area, Besande said they saw a white taxi cab driven by Diosdado Maguate, 38, already surrounded by people.
Upon closer look, they saw Generalao and Cueva at the back of the cab, bloodied all over and already dead.
Both men sustained several gunshot wounds in the head and body.
Police found at least 20 empty shells at the crime scene just before the Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) came to examine.
A witness told Superbalita Cebu said he initially accompanied Generalao and Cueva as they were about to post bail after more than two weeks of jail time at the police station’s stockades at the Talisay City Hall.
The witness said Generalao’s father asked him to accompany him and his daughter to court so he can assist them in posting bail for the two men.
Besande said based on bail bond documents, the two men were able to post P200,000 each for illegal drug possession.
The witness said upon posting bail, he was ordered by Generalao’s father to find a cab so they can go home.
When he was able to find a cab, Generalao and Cueva were seat at the back in between the witness and the former’s sister.
Generalao’s father was seated up front, the witness said.
But upon reaching in front of a convenience store in Barangay Dumlog, they were suddenly stopped by two men onboard a motorcycle.
Armed with unidentified firearms, the two men then ordered Generalao’s father, sister, the witness and Maguate to disembark from the taxi cab.
Only Generalao and Cueva remained at the back of the cab.
After the other passengers were able to disembark, the two men, using their firearms, gunned down the victims before fleeing from the crime scene.
After receiving a call from a concerned citizen, emergency responders from the Talisay Rescue Emergency and Assistance Team (TREAT) attempted to revive the two men, but Generalao and Cueva were already dead when they got there.
Besande said though they were able to speak to the witness at the crime scene, Generalao’s father and sister reportedly fled there after seeing the responding police officers.
Based on an initial investigation, Besande said Generalao and Cueva were both arrested during a drug bust conducted by the Talisay City Forward Base based in Barangay Tanke.
The operation was conducted two weeks ago in Barangay Lawaan 1 in the same city.
Besande said they are still trying to determine who is behind the deaths of the two men. (JKV/Alan Tangcawan of Superbalita Cebu)