Pasil shooting suspect’s gun may be tied to unsolved shootings: police

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Police will check if the .45-caliber pistol used to kill an online seller in Barangay Pasil, Cebu City, is linked to unsolved shooting incidents, in an effort to lessen Cebu City crime.

The victim, a 38-year-old online seller, was fatally shot inside her home in Barangay Pasil on Sunday, August 9.

Police are set to request a crossmatching of the recovered firearm against records of other shooting incidents in the city, Police Major Noah Labra Añana said.

READ ALSO: Pasil online seller killed by gun-for-hire; suspect detained

Attack took place inside online seller’s home

The suspect entered the victim’s home while she was lying down inside, said Añana, chief of Sawang Calero Police Station, in a press briefing. Authorities described the man as a gun-for-hire.

He shot her before fleeing the scene, Añana added.

Police arrested the suspect, a 34-year-old resident of Barangay Sawang Calero, minutes after the attack, the police report said.

A police team was patrolling the area when the alarm came in, which helped in the swift arrest, Añana said.

Chased and cornered, with residents’ help

The suspect attempted to flee but responding officers chased and cornered him.

By the time officers caught up with him, bystanders and residents had already mauled the suspect, leaving him with injuries, Añana said.

The suspect allegedly confessed to being hired by a certain “Gerald” for ₱20,000 to kill the victim, according to police.

He claimed that the victim had been mistakenly identified as a police asset, while some of her sons were allegedly involved in the illegal drug trade, Añana said.

Link between Cebu City crime and drugs

Police are looking into the possibility that the shooting is drug-related, with authorities checking on relatives of the victim believed to be involved in illegal drugs, Añana added.

The victim herself had no record of involvement in illegal drugs, according to Añana.

“Ang biktima, amo pang gi-check ang background niya. Ongoing pa mi,” Añana said. (As for the victim, we’re still checking her background. It’s still ongoing.)

The suspect appeared to have no backup and worked independently as a hired gunman, the police chief added.

How he made a living

“Kuan siya, morag iyaha rang personal, i-hire ra siya, tawagan siya, kinsa’y mo-kuan niya.” (He seemed to work on his own. He gets hired, someone just calls him, whoever needs him.)

The suspect was reportedly known as an alleged gunman operating in different parts of Cebu City, Añana added.

Recovered from the suspect’s right hand was a .45-caliber pistol that had jammed during the attack, according to the report.

Also seized was one live round loaded in the chamber, along with a magazine containing five more live rounds.

Mastermind

If the firearm matches evidence from previous incidents, the suspect could face additional charges linked to unsolved shootings, Añana said.

The suspect remains in police custody while authorities prepare to request a forensic examination of the recovered firearm, as well as the criminal complaints.

Investigators have yet to determine whether the alleged mastermind will be identified and charged.

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