Jessie Tabanao’s death: Text focus of police investigation

CEBU, Philippines - As per result of the digital forensics, the police have gathered substantial information from the cellular phone of slain Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) 7 agent Jesus “Jessie” Tabanao.

City Intelligence Branch (CIB) chief, Police C/Insp. Romeo Santander, who spoke in behalf of Special Investigation Task Force Tabanao spokesperson Carmelo Dayon, said that through the forensic result, they now have leads who killed the PDEA 7 agent.

The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) 7 which is helping the task force in its investigation, submitted the forensic result last Thursday.

“Then we are looking for all possibilities, angles, regarding sa incoming messages ug mga missed calls na na-register sa cellphone ni Jessie Tabanao,” said Santander.

The CIB chief said they primarily gathered the lead from the last text message Tabanao received on his cellular phone.

The unknown sender, who sent the text message to Tabanao at past 10 pm through Sun Cellular number, was set to meet the PDEA agent that night.

“Duna’y ikatabang sa investigation for instance, ang last na ni-text sa iyaha kun unsang orasa, kun asa sila padulong,” Santander further disclosed.

Santander withheld further information, saying they don’t want to jeopardize the ongoing investigation.

The task force, so far, still eyes Tabanao’s job as a PDEA agent as the motive behind  his death and that a syndicate of druglords masterminded it.

After a week of failing to even identify the gunman, Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 director, Chief Supt. Danilo Constantino, said he is not giving the task force a time frame to solve the case.

“Hindi natin minamadali ang investigation. Kelangan dapat specific iyong ating direction,” he said.

Constantino added that the police want to achieve its objective which is to identify the perpetrators and eventually file a case in court no matter how long it may take.

“Gustuhin man namin, sino ang ayaw nong mabilis na resolution ng case, pero hindi ganun kadali. Iyong ibang possible witnesses, hesitant to give their statements,” the PRO7 director said.

The task force is urging the witnesses to cooperate with the police for the resolution of the case and help the family seek justice for the death of the PDEA 7 agent.

Meanwhile, Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III yesterday expressed that the death of Tabanao could make law enforcement against illegal drugs be more aggressive.

“I think nakadulot gyud ang programa sa PDEA sa drug campaign kay niabot na ang ponto ang agent object na sa targets sa drug syndicates,” Davide told reporters.

Although he didn’t know personally Tabanao, Davide said he was saddened about the death.

Davide has yet to convene the Cebu Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Commission (CPDAC) since he assumed office in July 2013 but he vowed to pursue the campaign against the menace in his administration.

“It should be pursued with political will,” Davide added.

Tabanao, who has also been a Bombo Radyo reporter for eight years before entering PDEA, was gunned down at Escario St., Cebu City at nearly Sunday dawn. —/GMR (FREEMAN)