A MAN and his live-in partner were shot dead while sleeping inside a hut in Sitio Continental, Barangay Duljo Fatima, Cebu City in the early hours of Monday, Oct. 31, 2022.
Patrolman Glendale Cabañero of the Mambaling Police Station, who is in charge of the case, identified the victims as Juanito Apari, 34, and Editha Pulbos, 40.
Police responders found Apari in bed lying on his back with a gunshot wound in the head and in the right shoulder while Pulbos was on the floor with a gunshot wound in the head.
Based on his initial investigation, the couple had attended a dance in the neighboring sitio of Riverside, which was celebrating its annual fiesta.
The police officer also said Apari and Pulbos had been detained in the station after they were arrested for playing hantak, an illegal coin game.
He said Pulbos was released on Oct. 19, while Apari was released on Oct. 21.
Members of the Scene of Crime Operations recovered from the crime scene four spent shells of a .45 pistol, drug paraphernalia and a couple of cellphones, among others.
Motive
Cabañero said they are looking at two possible motives for the attack: one is personal and the other may have been the couple’s alleged involvement in the illegal drug trade.
He said the victims were known to sell illegal drugs in the neighborhood.
He said the hut is owned by Viviana Barber, whose family operates a lechon business next door.
Barber told police the couple had just moved in after they were evicted from a house in Sitio Bohol Village in the same barangay because they couldn’t pay their rent.
She said Apari and Pulbos had asked them if they could stay for a few days while they saved up for a new place.
Barber said her family was awakened by gunshots around 1:30 a.m.
According to her, the first one was very loud but the second, third and fourth gunshots sounded hollow.
This led police to think there were two gunmen.
Cabañero said a youngster was shot dead in the same bed the couple were killed in the other month. (BBT / PJB)