2 angles eyed in jail exec ambush

CEBU, Philippines — The Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) investigators are looking into two angles behind the ambush of a 53-year-old jail official.

Work and drugs are possible motives behind the attack on Jail Inspector Edwin Sarcon last Monday, according to the police.

Fortunately, Sarcon survived the ambush. He only suffered a graze on the neck from one of the bullets.

Sarcon was driving his Isuzu MUX Monday morning when two unidentified assailants peppered his vehicle with bullets at the corner of R. Duterte Street and V. Rama Avenue in Barangay Guadalupe in Cebu City, just a few blocks from the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology where he works.

Senior Superintendent Joel Doria, CCPO director, said Sarcon might had a rift with some drug personalities serving jail time at the Talisay City Jail, where Sarcon served as deputy jail warden.

“We will check on it if may involvement siya sa drugs. Pagka nasa jail siya, pagnaghigpit ka mahirap kasi. We are checking on possible threats if ever na meron, may tinitingnan na drug personalities na previously incarcerated na involve. We will dig deeper,” Doria said.

Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7) Director Robert Quenery said his office will also help in the investigation.

“It could be work-related. We will be looking into his former assignments and reasons for transfer and manggagaling sa kanya yan if kailangan ng data,” he said.

Sarcon was asked to cooperate with the police in their investigation.

Based on reports, Sarcon was acquitted of illegal drug charges in 2005. On December 13, 2003, Sarcon’s house in Villa del Rio Bacayan in the city was raided by the Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Bureau operatives and recovered 55.13 grams of illegal drugs.

The court, however, acquitted Sarcon of the charges reportedly because the raiding team failed to ask Sarcon and other occupants in his house to witness the search, stressing that the shabu found in Sarcon’s kitchen could not be admitted as evidence. —KBQ (FREEMAN)