Cops look into drug angle in ambush of AWOL cop

CEBU, Philippines —  Police are now looking into illegal drug involvement as possible motive behind the death of a former cop and his son who were ambushed in Sitio Mohon 3, Barangay Tisa, Cebu City last Thursday morning.

“As per intelligence information that we have, that guy is involved in Cebu illegal activities and maybe because after four years of his AWOL (absent without official leave), adto na nigawas ang iyang involvement sa droga,” said Police Colonel Josefino Ligan, director of Cebu City Police Office.

The cop identified as certain Ruben Requinto Quita, 48, who went AWOL since 2016 and a resident of Sitio Villa Elene, Tisa, and his son, Gavin Rheuben Zate Quita, 19. They were ambushed by unidentified men riding in a motorcycle.

Ligan said that they suspect that Ruben might have engaged in a conflict with his co-members in the possible drug syndicate.

“He’s already AWOL since 2016, so practically he’s not anymore a member of the Philippine National Police (PNP), he’s just an ordinary citizen, so there will be no SITG (Special Investigation Task Group) that will be made for him since he’s already a member of the government,” said Ligan.

Aside from this, Ligan said they are also looking into the work-related motive since investigation revealed that the victim was a former member of the City Intelligence Branch (CIB) in Cebu City.

He added that Ruben’s death might be because of the previous arrests he had conducted during his stint in the CIB.

Moreover, the police are also looking at personal-motive angle of the murder.

Ligan said that the challenge they are currently facing is the identification of the suspects since there were no closed-circuit television cameras that were found in the area where the incident happened.

“As to the description of the gunmen, we only rely on the witnesses, katong nakakita, perhaps we will be having a sketch basing on the description,” he added.

Ruben sustained a gunshot wound to his head that caused his instantaneous death while his son was rushed to the hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. — GMR (FREEMAN)