Family claims slain drug suspect’s body

CEBU, Philippines —  The body of one of the three drug suspects killed during a shootout with the police in Barangay Taptap, Cebu City has already been claimed by his relatives.

The family claimed the body of Christopher Lim, also known as Christopher Aparece, last Sunday.

Cebu City Police Office deputy director for operations, Police Lt. Colonel Wilbert Parilla, said the remaining two bodies are still in a funeral parlor in Mandaue City.

Police identified the two remaining bodies as Lihbon Kerr Bargayo and Boyet Rama.

Basing on the investigation by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Group (PDEG) Special Operation Unit of Region 7, Parilla said Aparece and Rama were previously arrested in San Fernando Police Station for series of shooting incidents.

"They are also considered as gun-for-hire and another information given to us is myembro sad diay ni sila diha sad og kulto nga naa silay gituohan nga agud-agud," said Parilla.

Aside from this, the suspects were mostly known in the illegal drug trading who stood as the local contacts in Cebu while their supply came from Manila.

In their investigation, Parilla added that their source was a local from Cebu who transferred in Manila.

"Dinagko na gyud ni sila kay kung makita ninyo ang ten kilos, so dako na gyud kaayo ni sila nga grupo," said Parilla.

To recall, in the evening of June 10, 2021, the operating agencies under the Police Regional Office (PRO-7) led by the elements of PDEG conducted an anti-illegal drug operations which resulted into the death of the three drug suspects after they were flagged down in a checkpoint.

This was after they ran off during the initial buy-bust operation conducted in Camp 4 in Talisay City wherein at least two kilos of suspected shabu were seized and one of the suspects shot at the police poseur-buyer.

The suspects shot again at the authorities who intercepted them at a checkpoint in their attempt to escape towards the Cebu Province.

"Tanang armas gi-submit na tanan didto sa crime lab for ballistic, aron ma check sad nato kung wala ba ni nagamit sa laing krimen, so ma trace ni nato kung mo match ni sya sa recovered nga shells and slugs sa previous nga shooting dinhi sa atoa," said Parilla.

He said the death of the suspects could bring huge effect to the illegal drug trade in Cebu City and the region.

"Napulo ka kilos, daghan na unta kaayo ma supply-yan, mao na atong gipaninguhaan nga mokunhod na unta," said Parilla.

He added that the development will also serve as a reminder to those who are still involved in the illegal drug trade that the police will intensify monitoring against them. — GMR (FREEMAN)