Four men shot dead in Medellin, Danao

CEBU, Philippines - Three men believed to be involved in illegal drug trade were shot dead yesterday morning in Barangay Dayhagon, Medellin town.

Joel Bañares, Maki Verallo and Benjie Piamonte, all of Bogo City, succumbed to gunshot wounds in the head.

Bañares and Verallo were sleeping under a mango tree when an unidentified man shot them.

Piamonte’s body was found about five meters away from the two victims.

The gunman, who was wearing a mask and jacket, immediately fled on board a motorcycle.

Recovered from the crime scene were six empty shells of a .45 caliber firearm and one slug.

SPO4 Carlos Condino, homicide investigator of Medellin police said Bañares’ wife, Eva, told them that she was sleeping outside the house of one Lowell Demaymay where she heard successive gunbursts at around 3:55a.m.

Police zeroed in on illegal drugs as possible motive of the killing as the three victims are suspected drug users.

Bañares and Verallo were handlers of Demaymay’s fighting cocks while Piamonte was a tricycle driver.

Condino said Demaymay is a known drug pusher in the town.

Condino told The FREEMAN that they found drug paraphernalia and small packs with shabu residue in a shanty about 75 meters away from the victims.

“Possible adto ni sila mag-sniffing sa sulod,” Condino said in a phone interview.

Condino admitted they do not have enough information on the background of the victims because they were from Bogo City.

But Condino said they know that Demaymay is a drug pusher.

Police are conducting further investigation to identify the gunman.

In a separate incident, a coal miner was shot dead by his companion while having a drinking session in Barangay Lawaan, Danao City Monday evening.

Loreto Matiga, 34, a coal miner of the DD Mining died of a gunshot wound in the head.

Police identified the gunman as Janel Giangan, 33.

Prior to the incident, Matiga had a drinking session with Janel, Serebrede Capuyan, and Fabian Giangan Jr.

A few minutes later, Fabian and Capuyan left Matiga and Janel to urinate when they suddenly heard a gunfire.

Capuyan and Fabian went back to the store where they were drinking and saw Janel armed with a .357 revolver while Matiga was lying on the ground.

SPO2 Ildefonso Prosia, of the Danao City Police Station, said Janel was arrested by barangay tanods and was turned over to the police station.

Janel refused to reveal his reason for killing Matiga and named Capuyan and Fabian as the ones responsible for the crime.

Capuyan and Fabian voluntarily went to the police to clear their names. — (FREEMAN)