AN UNRESOLVED conflict arising from the illegal drug trade led to the shooting of a former carpenter who had switched to peddling illegal substances in Sitio San Roque, Barangay Basak San Nicolas, Cebu City, around 3 p.m. on Friday, February 16, 2024.
Gerald Mantalaba Ocsio, a 40-year-old resident of the said barangay who has a live-in partner, was shot in the neck, with the bullet exiting through his mouth.
He was rushed to the Cebu City Medical Center, but was later transferred to the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center for further treatment.
The police are currently pursuing his assailant, 29-year-old Ravin Bautista, an ex-convict from Barangay Quiot, Cebu City.
The Mambaling Police Station's investigator, Patrolman Glendale Cabañero, told SunStar Cebu that they received information that the victim allegedly did not remit the drug sales.
"Sa nakuha natong imprmasyon mi-undang ning biktima sa pagpamanday! Namaligyag shabu kay mas dako daw siyag income" dugang ni Patrolman Cabañero.
(Based on the information that we received, the victim quit his job and started selling shabu to earn huge income).
Some of his contacts weren't compensated, though, thus he was shot.
The victim was walking home when the incident occurred.
Cabañero said the suspect was previously arrested for murder. (GPL, TPT)