TWO other members of the Nadera Gun-for-Hire Group was arrested during a follow-up operation by the Inayawan Police Station on Monday, March 24, 2025, in Paradise 3, Barangay Kinasang-an, Cebu City.
The suspects were identified as Rostom Sanchez Sialana and Kian Labitad, both facing charges related to illegal drugs.
They were allegedly responsible for the shooting of 42-year-old painter Rodolfo Bajardo Dumasig Jr., a resident of Barangay Kinasang-an, while he was playing on a computer.
The two are part of the Nadera Gun-for-Hire Group, which also includes Jerson Tapere, who was previously presented by Police Colonel Enrico Figueroa, chief of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO).
The Police Regional Office-Central Visayas (PRO 7) recently presented three gun-for-hire members from two groups involved in executing drug personalities with outstanding debts to their boss.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Maria Theresa Macatangay, deputy city director for operations of CCPO, said that if the two accomplices had not been captured, they could have replaced the hitmen from the other gun-for-hire group.
With their arrest, Macatangay expressed optimism that shooting incidents in Cebu City would decrease.
However, she emphasized that the police are still gathering information to identify other members linked to the group.
"Hopefully ma feel nato nga mo kunhod ang atoang mga incidents nga nalambigit sa mga pagpamusil ngari sa atoang siyudad, but we are also exploiting other information coming from them kung naa pa bay lain nga mo exist," said Macatangay.
(Hopefully, we will feel a decrease in shooting incidents in our city, but we are also exploiting other information coming from them to determine if there are still others operating.)
Based on the gun-for-hire matrix of the two groups, authorities believe there are still gunmen at large and that new individuals may take their place.
Because of this, Cebu City police remain steadfast in their anti-criminality campaign, including Oplan Bulabog and operations targeting individuals in possession of unlicensed firearms.
The CCPO is now monitoring potential targets for their next follow-up operations in the coming days. (AYB)