Mall worker shot dead; police tie killing to drugs

CEBU, Philippines - A 27-year-old man who was on his way to a mall where he worked was shot to death yesterday morning by one of two men on a motorcycle.

Jeboy Papillero, 27, of Lutopan, Toledo City but was living in barangay Tabok, Mandaue City was shot in the head.

PO1 Restituto Raboy said the police believe the killing had something to do with illegal drugs as text messages found in Papillero’s cellular phone would suggest.

At 3:42 a.m. that day, Papillero received text messages which said “Pagbantay-bantay unya Boy kay lahi baya ko maningil” and “Boy, basta ako na gani ang tablahon sa butang nga gikuha, maningil dyud ko. Karon paninglan na lang dyud taka sa pamaagi nga di nimo mauyunan.”

At around 6:17 a.m. yesterday, minutes before he was killed, Papillero received another text message saying, “Unta ug mokuha ug butang kabawo ka mobayad. Tuga-tuga ka ug tulod anang butang ig human imo ra kong tablahon. Karon paninglan ka, gahi ka ,aw lahi diay nga paningil imong gusto.”

Raboy said Papillero was already engaged in illegal drugs while living at V. Rodriguez Street in Cebu City. (FREEMAN)