‘Hitman’ falls in buy-bust

CEBU, Philippines — An alleged gun-for-hire reportedly responsible in at least eight shooting incidents in Cebu City was arrested during a buy-bust operation in Barangay Mambaling, Cebu City Monday evening.

The suspect was identified as Mark Jedrick Alvarez, 19, a resident of Sitio San Pedro, Barangay Duljo Fatima, Cebu City.

Operatives of Mambaling Police Station, led by Major Efren Diaz Jr., seized from Alvarez at least 50 grams of shabu worth P340,000 and a caliber .45 pistol with four live rounds of ammunition.

The suspect is now detained in Mambaling Police Station while criminal complaints are being prepared for violation of Section 5 and 11 of Republic Act 9165 otherwise known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

Section 5 covers the "sale, trading, administration, dispensation, delivery, distribution and transportation of dangerous drugs and/or controlled precursors and essential chemicals," while Section 11 pertains to the "possession of dangerous drugs."

Police Colonel Antoneitto Cañete, acting city director of Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) commended the team responsible in the arrest of the suspect. Cañete said the suspect was involved in various shooting incidents in Mambaling and Duljo-Fatima.

Based on the information the police gathered, Alvarez was responsible in the shootings of Edwin Abayan on July 17, 2024 at Sitio Micabaja in Duljo-Fatima; Juvanie Destacamento on June 30, 2024 at C. Padilla St.; Saturnino Sericon Biscocho and his live-in partner Maribell Fernan Pedroza on August 18, 2024 also in Sitio Micabaja.

Alvarez was also tagged as suspect in the shooting incidents in Barangay Mambaling involving Roldan Racal at Sitio Lawis Alaska on August 20, 2024; Dexter Cuizon in Sitio San Juan Seawall on August 30, 2024; and Gilbert Salcedo Gelbolingo and Julieta Estrera in Sitio Kahuyan and Sitio Badjawan, respectively. — (FREEMAN)