ALL for P3,000, a 21-year-old construction worker killed a motorcycle taxi driver on Sunday morning, October 12, 2025, in Sitio Tagaytay, Barangay Kalunasan, Cebu City.
The suspect, identified as Kirk Blash Monteron Amasa, a resident of B. Aranas Extension, Barangay Duljo Fatima, Cebu City, was arrested by personnel from the Guadalupe Police Station at a construction site behind the Redemptorist Church in Barangay Kamputhaw around 8 a.m. on Tuesday, October 14, 2025.
He was tagged as responsible for the killing of Dexter Nanong Dandan, 48, a resident of Elizabeth Pond Extension, Barangay Kamputhaw, Cebu City.
According to Police Colonel Enrico Figueroa, Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) director, the suspect was traced by the Guadalupe Police Station led by Police Captain Venstine Bontilao through CCTV footage used in backtracking the events after the crime.
Police learned that the suspect entered the construction site behind the Redemptorist Church, bringing with him the victim’s motorcycle.
Surveillance was immediately conducted, and when he reported for work the next day as a construction worker -- still riding the victim’s motorcycle -- he was arrested. Within 48 hours, the case was solved.
“Ang unang natunton natin dito yung unang pinuntahan, yung pinagtrabahoan nya sa may Redemptorist Church. Actually, itong suspect natin ay isang construction worker. Dumiretso siya roon, yan yung nakita natin sa CCTV camera kaya yan yun ang sinundan natin, kaya ang ating kapulisan ay nag-surveillance na sa lugar na yan. Tamang-tama kinabukasan, parang wala lang sa kanya ay bumalik siya roon upang mag trabaho dala yung motor,” said
Figueroa.
(Our first lead was his workplace near the Redemptorist Church. The suspect works as a construction worker there, and we saw him on CCTV footage, so our police conducted surveillance. The next morning, he casually returned to work riding the victim’s motorcycle -- that’s when we arrested him.)
Amasa admitted to committing the crime after being promised P3,000 and ownership of the motorcycle once the job was done.
He refused to identify to the media the person who ordered the killing, saying he had already given all the information to the police for follow-up operations.
Authorities are looking into illegal drugs as a possible motive, as the alleged mastermind is a known drug personality whose identity has yet to be disclosed.
CCTV footage showed the victim driving his motorcycle with the suspect as his passenger. The two were seen stopping and talking in Sitio Mahayahay.
About an hour later, the motorcycle was seen again, but this time only the suspect was riding it, heading toward Gorordo Avenue, where he was captured on another CCTV camera.
Police recovered the motorcycle, the victim’s helmet, and the suspect’s clothes, which matched those seen on CCTV.
The suspect confessed to the crime, saying he agreed to do it out of desperation to provide for his family.
“Kanang kwarta para ra na sa akong pamilya, mao to nisugot ko kay ang naa sa akong hunahuna ang kwarta para sa akong pamilya,” said Amasa.
(That money was for my family. That’s why I agreed -- because what I had in mind was my family.)
He said the mastermind had planned the murder for some time and had briefed him thoroughly on what to do and where to intercept the victim while he was operating his motorcycle taxi.
Amasa apologized to the victim’s family and said he is ready to face the consequences of his actions.
“Mangayo kog pasensya sa pamilya, pasensya sa tanan gyud sa nabuhat nako. Wala ko magdahum nga mabuhat to nako,” said Amasa.
(I ask forgiveness from the family and from everyone. I didn’t expect that I could do something like this.)
Police found no previous criminal record for the suspect, but Figueroa said they will deepen their investigation to uncover more information.
A murder charge will be filed against the suspect. (AYB)