Death on the highway: Engineer shot dead in Lacion

CEBU, Philippines – A 50-year-old engineer was killed by three motorcycle-riding men while he was driving on the highway in barangay Pitogo, Consolacion town early yesterday morning.

The fatality was identified as Malequias Ceballo, a resident of barangay Cogon, Compostela, who works as an engineer at Cebu Holdings Inc.

He died on the spot from six gunshot wounds and his Toyota Hilux crew cab pick-up turned turtle causing a traffic jam in the northern highway. Witnesses said that the assailants were on board a black motorcycle, which did not bear any plate number.

SPO1 Romulo Sasing, desk officer of the Consolacion Police, said that the victim was on his way to work when waylaid at around 7:30 a.m. The gunmen allegedly fired eight times.

The victim was hit on his neck, shoulder, chest and other parts of his body. Witnesses said that the car swerved to the north-bound lane and turned turtle.

The incident happened just 20 meters away from the barangay hall of Pitogo, but no witness has come out to give a description of the assailants.

Policemen, who went to the scene recovered two firearms from the vehicle of Ceballo – a .40 caliber pistol, which was licensed, and an unlicensed caliber .45 pistol.

They were also able to recover one magazine from each gun and a total of 14 live ammunition. The victim’s wallet, cellular phone, laptop, wristwatch, identification cards and other documents and personal items were also recovered.

Six empty caliber .45 shells were also found on the road while two deformed slugs were found in the vehicle of the victim.

Scene of Crime Operatives, who were caught in the traffic jam, took some time to reach the area and the body was not anymore there when they reached the crime scene.

This was because, SPO1 Silas Ceballo, brother of the victim, requested that the body be pulled out and brought to the Rolling Hills Memorial Chapels in Mandaue City immediately.

When the SOCO team reached the crime scene, they just proceeded to the Consolacion Police Station to go over the evidence that were recovered.

Motive

The police are looking at several angles leading to the slay.

SPO4 Florencio Balila of the Compostela Police said that the victim was his childhood friend and said that he knew him very well.

Balila said that the victim and his policeman brother were not in good terms. He claimed that this started when the policeman called the attention of Malequias about an alleged relationship with one of their cousins. This reportedly led to a heated argument and the two have not been in good terms since then.

Balila said that this happened many years ago, but he could not remember exactly when.

He also said that one time, Malequias was brought to the Compostela Police Station when his brother complained that the former went berserk while drunk.

While Malequias was at the station, his vehicle was reportedly searched and his brother along with SPO2 Ramon Perales found firearms inside it.

Malequias filed a complaint against his brother and Perales alleging that the evidence was planted, which led to a six-month suspension for the two policemen.

Melody Ceballo, daughter of Silas, in an interview with the media said that her father apologized to Malequias hoping to patch things up, but this was not accepted.

The police are also looking into the possibility that the killing might have something to do with a land dispute involving the victim, which is still being settled in court.

There are also reports that there are many women in the life of Malequias, who has been separated with his wife for a long time due to his alleged womanizing.

His widow, Jocelyn, who now lives in Valladolid, Carcar with their two children, said that she was married to Malequias in 1991, but they lived as a couple only for a few years.

She claimed that their separation was triggered by her husband’s womanizing. Despite living separately, Malequias reportedly continued to give them financial support.

The fatality reportedly has two other children with his present live-in partner.

An autopsy was to be conducted to the body of the victim.

Ambush

In another incident, a tribal chieftain of a clan, his live-in partner and a 12-year-old nephew of the woman were shot by two unidentified men at past 3 p.m. the other day at sitio Gisi, barangay Agus, Lapu-Lapu City.

The victims were identified as Ramon de la Cerna codenamed Datu Magnulubato, 48, of Sangi New Road, brgy. Pajo and chieftain of the Supreme Council of Datus Alimaong Clan; Agnes Cortes alias Bae Maniwan-tiwan, 48, de la Cerna’s live-in partner and member of the clan; and her 12-year old nephew.

The couple were on board a Honda Civic when shot at at the gate of their residence. The boy, who was the one who opened the gate, was hit by a stray bullet.

After shooting the victims, the two assailants fled on board a motorcycle.

De la Cerna sustained a gunshot wound on his left leg while Cortes was hit on the back portion of her body.

The boy was hit on the left foot.

The victims were taken to the Lapu-Lapu City District Hospital and later transferred to the Mactan Doctor’s Hospital.

Policemen recovered six empty 9 mm shells, three deformed 9 mm slugs, three empty .45 caliber shells, and one deformed slug.

Investigators SPO3 Rick Ybañez and PO1 Jessel Pal-ing said that this incident is believed to be an off-shoot of a misunderstanding between de la Cerna and former members of his clan. — With Niña G. Sumacot/NLQ (THE FREEMAN)