2 men found dead near flyover

CEBU, Philippines — Two men were found dead near a flyover in Barangay Mambaling, Cebu City past midnight Wednesday.

They had bullet wounds on their bodies but police said they may have been killed somewhere else because residents in the area did not hear any gunshot.

But authorities found 15 fired cartridges and two empty slugs, which will be subjected to ballistic examination.

The bodies will be subjected to autopsy.

Police Master Sgt. Nicolo Gonzales, chief investigator of the Mambaling police, also said the area is often deserted.

“Ang area nato, kanang nahitaboan – gabii na unya gaulan – wala kaayo’y tawo unya kanang lugar sad, mingaw sad na diha. Wala pa mi witness nga ni-surface, wala pa mi nakita tungod sa kamingaw sa maong lugar past twelve na, so, wala gyud tawo nga nakakita (The area where the bodies were found is always deserted and no witness has surfaced. Maybe no one saw what happened because it was already past midnight),” Gonzales said.

A certain Consolacion Abella Parba later identified the bodies as those of her son, Charlie, 40, and brother, Rodrigo Abella, Jr., 48.

The two men were residents of Sitio Manga, Barangay Tisa, Cebu City.

Parba said her brother was released from jail in March after six years for drugs.

Charlie, meanwhile, reportedly used drugs but did not sell them.

Parba said Charlie was seen last at 11 a.m. last Tuesday. That was also when they noticed that her son and brother were missing.

“Akong mang mga apo nangita man nga kay dira ra man ko sa ubos… niana man nga ‘Nay, wala lagi miuli si papa, naa ba diha?’ Ingon ko, ‘Wa man’ (My grandchildren looked for their father because he did not go home. They asked me if he was with me and I told them he wasn’t),” Parba said.

Her grandchild also reportedly sent Charlie a text message but Charlie did not reply. — David E. Mesias, JMO  (FREEMAN)