THE body of a dead man wrapped in packaging tape was found in a grassy portion of Sitio Cantipla, Barangay Tabunan, Cebu City yesterday morning.
A torn newspaper with “Louie Barret Molina pusher” written on it, a plastic with four small sachets of shabu and a lighter were found in his pocket.
“He was probably killed on the spot because residents heard gunshots from the area before midnight,” PO3 Winston Ybanez said in Cebuano.
Witnesses
A witness, who asked not to be named, said he heard three gunshots at 11 p.m. The body was discovered moments later.
Some residents saw a white pickup truck speeding toward the main road.
According to initial investigation of the Homicide Section, an informant, who is a habal-habal driver, said he was driving when he spotted a motorcycle on the ground up ahead.
When he went for a closer look, he was surprised to see the victim lying beside the motorcycle with his face wrapped in packaging tape while his arms and legs were tied with scotch tape.
The body bore three gunshot wounds in the forehead.
The victim was wearing a blue T-shirt and black pants.
“Real culprits”
Recovered from the scene were three empty shells of a .45 pistol and a red Suzuki Raider motorcycle.
Last Aug. 23, a badly decomposing body with two gunshot wounds was also found in Sitio Cantipla.
Yesterday’s discovery was the 108th case of death by unidentified assailants in Central Visayas, based on the statistics released by the Police Regional Office 7.
So far, only one suspect has been caught. He had said he was getting rid of fellow drug pushers who might squeal on him.
Cebu City Police Office Director Joel Doria said they are investigating yesterday’s incident.
However, he said these deaths were not the works of vigilantes but of other drug pushers who don’t want to be traced by authorities.