THE man who was found lifeless in Sitio Margo, Barangay Sudlon 1, a mountainous area in Cebu City, around 5:30 a.m. Thursday, March 6, 2025, has already been identified by his family.
The victim was Eugene Bacus, a 58-year-old e-bike driver from Sitio Ilang-Ilang, Barangay Lagtang, Talisay City. He sustained a gunshot wound to the head, which caused his immediate death.
According to family members interviewed by dyHP radio, four unidentified men picked up Eugene from their house around 4:30 a.m. of the same day and forced him into a red vehicle.
Later, they heard on the radio that a body had been found in Sudlon.
Desperate for confirmation, they obtained a photo of the victim, and upon seeing his face, they confirmed it was Eugene Bacus.
Mary, the victim’s niece, said her uncle was a drug user and was previously arrested in March 2020 but was released in September 2023.
However, she insisted that, despite his drug use, Eugene was not involved in any crimes in their barangay and only made a living as an e-bike driver.
They were shocked when four men took him, as he was last seen loitering near a store before the incident.
"Pagka buntag ana gahapon, awahi gyud mi nakabalo nga mao nay nahitabo niya. Gi-chatan ra ko sa among silingan, kanang ig-agaw sa akung bana, nga nakakita na ba daw ko sa balita. Ana ko wala kay ang nahibaw-an sad nila nga gidakop kuno siya anang mga orasa. Mao to pag tan-aw namo sa balita, ana ko i-confirm kuno kung imoha bang Yoyo. Pag tan-aw nako mao man gyud ang iyang senina nga gi sul-ob atong pag niaging adlaw nga nibisita nako diha sa tindahan," said Mary.
(We only found out what happened the next morning. My neighbor messaged me, asking if I had heard the news because they were told he was arrested around that time. When I saw the news, I asked them to confirm if it was really my uncle. When I saw the clothes, I knew it was him -- he was wearing the same outfit when he last visited me at the store.)
She added that her uncle had no known enemies in their barangay and was not troublesome, even helping others with carpentry work.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Maria Theresa Macatangay, deputy city director for operations of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), said they are coordinating with Talisay City police and the victim's family.
Authorities will request closed circuit television (CCTV) footage from the area to identify the vehicle used in the abduction from Bacus' home in Lagtang, Talisay.
"Hopefully, we will be obtaining another statement from other witnesses para ma papaspas nato ang atung investigation, but kana imong gisulti, isa na sa among gisubay karon kung kinsay tag-iya ana, unsa na sya ang owner ana, and those things. Back-tracking ang gibuhat sa atung investigators," said Macatangay.
(Hopefully, we will obtain more statements from other witnesses to speed up the investigation. We are also tracking down the owner of the vehicle used in the incident.)
Investigators are looking into whether Bacus’ previous drug-related case is linked to his killing but are also considering other possible motives.
The CCPO is now focusing on these angles in its ongoing investigation. (AYB)
