‘Informant’ and wife shot dead

CEBU, Philippines - An alleged informant and his wife were shot dead while they were sleeping in their shanty in Sitio Tunga, Barangay Tangke, Talisay City early dawn yesterday.

The couple was identified as John Abesia, 36, and Gerlyn Abesia, 35. John was a job order employee of Talisay City working in garbage collection, while Gerlyn was a fish vendor. They had five children.

Police speculate the couple may have been killed early dawn yesterday while there was a heavy downpour. Neighbors related that they heard gunshots but assumed there was another police operation.

The bodies were discovered at around 5 a.m. by the couple’s 15-year-old daughter, Jesilyn Abesia.

Because there was no space in the shanty, Jesilyn had to sleep at the house of her mother’s close friend the night before.

She said in an interview that she went to her parents that morning to ask for her allowance before going to school. However, she saw her mother and father lifeless and covered with blood.

“Akong gipukaw akong mama. Niana ko nga ‘Ma bangon na ba.’ Gihapak na sad nako akong papa, nakabantay naman ko nganong naa siya dugo ako na gitawag akong Auntie. Akong mama ug papa di na mubangon,” she said while in tears.

She added that she saw gunshot wounds in her father’s head and in her mother’s chest.

Relatives immediately reported the incident to the police.

Police respondents together with the homicide personnel found in the crime scene seven empty slugs of a .45 caliber firearm.

According to initial investigation, there had been reports that John was a confidential informant on the war against drugs, although SPO1 Erwin Carbonquillo of Talisay City Police said this is not confirmed.

John was not identified as an asset by Talisay City's police investigators although, Carbonquillo said, this does not mean that he was not an informant for other law enforcements agencies involved in the fight against drugs.

Carbonquillo said that it could be that the main target of the killing was John and his wife was implicated because she was with him during the incident.

“Naamong nalang ang asawa kay dinha nahitabo. Posible basin nailhan sa suspetsado mao naapil siya,” he said.

No suspects have been identified yet.

Shooting in Balamban

Gunshots echoed inside a shanty in Sitio Lingatong, Barangay Vito in Balamban, Cebu, as a man was shot dead while asleep beside his live-in partner late Wednesday night.

Allan Casag Indab, 30, a native of Barangay Budhud, Barili, Cebu but currently residing with his live-in partner in Sitio Lingatong, was shot in the head by an unknown suspect.

According to Senior Police Officer 2 Jose Ranielito Villarino, Indab’s live-in partner, Honeylyn Candar, 24, heard a loud thud from outside their house. Candar was rattled and accidentally bumped Indab. Candar told Indab she thinks there might be someone outside their house.

“Murag naa daw kuno’y tao sa gawas ug niingon ang biktima nga ayaw nalang kuno tagda kay mangatulog na ta,” said Villarino.

Villarino said the couple had forgotten to blow out the candle inside the room.

“Makita ra man asa matulog ang biktima kung lili-on gyud sa gawas kay ilang bongbong sagol ra man amakan,” he said.

As the shanty was elevated from the ground, Villarino said that the perpetrator could have planned to enter the shanty through a hole on the floor to get a closer shot.

“Unya nagyaw-yaw man ang biktima mao to wala modayon unya gipalusot nalang ang bala sa bongbong,” he said.

After the frightened Candar saw Indab bloody, he immediately woke their three children and went outside the house to ask for help.

“Iya dayon gipukaw iyang mga anak samtang naghilak pud kay basin sila pud nangaigo,” said Villarino.

Police speculate the killing may be related to a love triangle or a personal grudge. Further investigation is still being conducted to determine the suspect’s identity. — Iris Mariani B. Algabre and Mary Ferchel B. Cui (FREEMAN)