Drug, robbery suspect found hanging from bridge in Talisay

CEBU, Philippines — A man allegedly involved in robbery and illegal drugs was found dead hanging from a bridge along the Cebu South Coastal Road in Barangay San Isidro, Talisay City yesterday morning.

He was identified as Reynante Otero, 44, a resident of Barangay Isidro also in Talisay City.

It was a young man who went out of his house to pee who saw the body and informed his parents immediately about it.

A resident of San Isidro told authorities they heard bursts of gunfire in the area dawn yesterday but they did not go out of their house for fear of their safety.

Members of the Emergency Response Team saw Otero’s face covered in masking tape with his hands and feet were tired.

Police Captain Nazarino Emia, deputy chief of the Talisay City police, said they recovered at least five empty bullet shells from the area.

San Isidro captain Adelaida Restauro said Otero was a noted pusher and robber in the area.

Emia also said they have been looking for Otero as he was the subject of a drug operation on April 1. In fact, he said, Otero was arrested in February 2017 in Cebu City for robbery.

Police Regional Office - 7 Director Debold Sinas does not believe that Otero was killed by a vigilante group.

“It’s not kasi kung work ng vigilante na, naa untay mga sulat-sulat nga vigilante, o gibuhat sa vigilante… wala man poy niangkon (It’s not because if it were, the killers would have already left a note claiming responsibility for the kill),” Sinas said.

Sinas said residents in Talisay need not worry because there is no vigilante group in the city.

He said investigation into the killing will focus on robbery and drug angles.

“Basin naa siya gipang-utangan nga mga big time nga mga pushers so basin og gisingil siya wala siya nibayad (Maybe he owes big time pushers something and failed to pay them),” Sinas said. (FREEMAN)