Probe on murdered couple in San Fernando town continues

POLICE in Cebu province have yet to figure out who were responsible for the abduction and murder of the Sanchez couple in Brgy. Tananas, San Fernando town on Friday night, June 18, 2021.

Gavino and Arlene Sanchez were found dead inside their car and with gunshot wounds on their bodies.

According to Police Colonel Engelbert Soriano, Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) chief, the San Fernando police station is working together with the Minglanilla police station in gathering evidence and information on the crime.

Soriano said on June 16, the two were reported missing in Minglanilla, two days before they were found dead in San Fernando.

In the initial statement obtained from a relative of the victims, the couple was last seen at 10 p.m. of June 16 when the relative dropped by the couple’s home in Minglanilla town.

The relative said the couple ordered their children to go to bed as they still had to go somewhere.

Those who lived in the same house as the couple also noticed that the husband seemed to be in a rush to leave. He allegedly told them he had to meet someone in Cebu City.

The police are investigating who the victim was trying to meet that night.

“We also have information that the couple went to Cebu City before driving around again, so we’re trying to connect the dots,” Soriano said.

Even though the police has not established a motive yet, they are looking at three angles based on the couple’s relatives’ accounts.

The first possible angle is robbery, as it was found out that a large sum had been taken from the victims.

Another is kidnap for ransom as the victims were allegedly abducted by unidentified men, and the third is it could be related to drugs.

Soriano added that the investigators will do a background check on the victims to know what business they were in.

“These three issues I cannot confirm for now. All I know is that we really have to go into the details of this case because what we don’t want is to create fear and uneasiness among Cebuanos. We don’t want them to worry about their safety and security in the province,” Soriano said.

The CPPO chief admitted that they’re having a hard time getting information especially because the relatives would hesitate to cooperate with them.

Soriano urged Police Major Eduard Sanchez, brother of the slain Gavino, to present to his office directly whatever evidence he has, instead of disclosing it to the media.

Since the incident on June 18, Soriano said Police Major Sanchez has been refusing to coordinate with them.

Footage from CCTV cameras is being examined to determine which places the couple had been in before the incident, and to eventually identify the suspects. (AYB / CCP)

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