TWO women were killed in separate shooting incidents in Cebu on Friday evening and early Saturday on March 6–7, 2026, prompting arrests and a police manhunt.
In Argao town, police arrested two men suspected of killing a woman in Barangay Langtad during a manhunt operation past 5:30 p.m. Saturday.
Police said the suspects were responsible for the fatal shooting of Maria Joylyn Loyola, 39, who was shot Friday evening, March 6.
The suspects were identified as Kerby John Villafuerte Gella, 33, a neighbor of the victim, and Nicomedies Padigos Caylan, 64, a resident of Barangay Canbanua-Media, Argao.
Authorities recovered from the suspects a .45 pistol with a magazine loaded with three rounds of ammunition.
Investigation showed Loyola was sitting on a wooden bench when the two suspects arrived and shot her several times without saying a word.
The suspects fled after the shooting, but a witness who saw the incident later identified them.
Possible motive
Police are looking into illegal drugs as a possible motive after learning that Loyola had been selling illegal drugs in Langtad and had previously been arrested for a similar offense.
Investigators also found that Caylan had a previous murder case, while Gella had been linked to illegal drugs.
The Argao Police Station is preparing murder charges against the two suspects.
Tabuelan attack
In a separate incident earlier Saturday, a 48-year-old woman was killed after a father and son allegedly opened fire in Sitio Magsaysay, Barangay Tabunok, Tabuelan town at 12:20 a.m.
The victim, Elena Caritero Cuerpo, 48, was declared dead on arrival at the hospital.
Investigation by the Tabuelan Police Station showed the suspects were Bienvenido Balais Macaraeg, 47, a security guard, and his son, Christian Clifford Cuerpo Macaraeg, 23, both residents of the area.
Police said the two suspects, believed to be drunk, barged into the house of live-in partners Floramae Cualipano and Glendon Debalucos Capitero, 28.
Witnesses said Bienvenido shouted Cualipano’s name before drawing a firearm and firing at Capitero, who managed to evade the shot. Cualipano was hit.
Scuffle
Bienvenido then went to the nearby house of Elena Caritero Cuerpo and her sibling, Glendel Caritero Cuerpo, 30, and opened fire again, hitting Elena.
When Glendon learned that his partner had been wounded, he chased Bienvenido, which led to a scuffle.
Capitero managed to seize the firearm from Bienvenido and shot him three times. Clifford fled after learning that his father had been shot.
Bienvenido, Elena and Glendel were brought to the Tuburan District Hospital. Elena was declared dead on arrival.
Cualipano was taken to the Bogo City Provincial Hospital for treatment.
As of this writing, Bienvenido was under hospital arrest and guarded by police officers, while his son Clifford remained at large.
Police have yet to determine the motive behind the attack. / AYB