TWO separate shooting incidents occurred in Cebu City within just an hour on Wednesday, October 30, 2024.
The first shooting incident took place around 3:30 a.m. inside an internet café in Paradise 2, Barangay Kinasang-an, Cebu City, which resulted in the death of a 29-year-old single mother.
The victim was identified as Josery Tabilo Apostol, a resident of the area with two children, ages 6 and 3.
According to the café owner, he was in the back when he heard a single gunshot.
Upon checking, he found the victim slumped in her seat, lifeless, with a gunshot wound to her head.
The establishment’s closed circuit television (CCTV) footage captured the suspect, Wilfredo Pologon Nadera, 22, also a resident of the area.
A witness who was also playing a computer game at the time revealed that, before the shooting, the victim was with a man.
They reportedly argued, after which the suspect drew a gun and shot the victim once before fleeing.
The victim's mother, in an interview with dyHP radio, said she was unaware of any threats to her daughter's life.
She also mentioned that her daughter had a live-in relationship with another man after separating from the father of her youngest child.
When asked if her daughter was involved in illegal drugs, the mother replied, "I honestly don’t know, sir; only she knows that."
Police Major Jiceree Basitao, chief of the Inayawan Police Station, indicated that drugs could be a motive, as there were reports that the victim was a drug runner in the area.
"Makita nato nga usa sa anggulo drugs, kay allegedly the victim is runner ba, maoy sulti sa mga silingan didto, noted gyud ni siya nga involved sa drugs sa ilang lugar," matod ni Basitao.
(One of the angles we are looking at is drugs, because allegedly, the victim was a runner, as what her neighbors were saying; she was known to be involved in drugs in their area).
The second shooting incident happened at 4:20 a.m. on T. Padilla Street, Barangay Day-as, Cebu City.
The victim, identified as 22-year-old Jerry Obien Ramos alias Amang, is a resident of the said place.
According to the investigation by Parian police, the victim was sitting by the roadside when the suspect, described by witnesses as wearing a black shirt and white shorts, approached him.
A few seconds later, three gunshots were heard, and the victim fell, while the suspect casually walked away.
The victim was rushed to the Cebu City Medical Center by taxi and is reportedly in stable condition.
Investigators from the Parian Police Station recovered three empty shells and two slugs from a .45 caliber pistol at the scene.
The victim was well-known in the community for making jokes and it was believed that the perpetrator did not like this.
However, the investigators are not ruling out illegal drugs as motive, as Ramos was previously arrested for possession of shabu. (AYB)