A few minutes from jail release in Tubigon
Piling up on the heap of unsolved handiwork of motorcycle-riding killers, another ambush at around 9 a.m. yesterday took toll on a man who had just been released from Tubigon police custody and his friend who fetched him from jail, both earlier linked to drugs.
Police identified the victims as Edgar Sobrado and Joel Tinoy, both self-confessed drug personalities who lived in barangay Cabulihan, Ubay.
Each of them sustained a gunshot in the head, causing their instantaneous death.
According to PO1 Ronald Manlangit of the Tubigon police, Sobrado had been detained at the Tubigon lock-up jail for an incident of physical injury.
However, the police had to release him yesterday morning after the reglementary period lapsed as no one pursued to file charges against him.
His friend, Tinoy, fetched him at the Tubigon police station, then both took a habal-habal (motorcycle-for-hire) as they headed home.
Upon reaching barangay Putuhan, a man on board another motorcycle moved parallel to them on the road and shot them.
The habal-habal driver sustained minor cuts as the motorcycle he was driving flipped to its side following the shooting.
He is reportedly still unable to give information on the incident as he suffered trauma, police said.
According to Manlangit, Sobrado and Tinoy previously surrendered to authorities through Oplan Tokhang for involvement in illegal drug activities.
Tinoy had already survived a previous attempt on his life as he was ambushed purportdely because of his involvement in illegal activities.
Sobrado was also earlier arrested for drug possession, but had posted bail and got out of jail.
ANOTHER FROM UBAY
Last Saturday in Trinidad, another drug-linked resident of Ubay was shot dead by an unidentified gunman.
The victim, Roque Ibale- -a self-confessed drug personality- -was gunned down in Purok 5 of barangay Catoogan, Trinidad.
The 31-year-old victim, a resident of sitio Son-oc in Poblacion, Ubay, sustained a gunshot wound in the head, causing his instantaneous death.
Investigators look into Ibale’s alleged involvement in illegal drug activities as a motive in his murder.
According to police, Ibale earlier surrendered to authorities through Oplan Tokhang as a drug user and pusher.
The three recent murders of drug personalities are in addition to the five recently recorded cases of murder of drug personalities whose assailants are yet to be identified.
One of the prominent cases is the killing of SPO1 Rolex Tamarra, who was shot dead last month in Corella.
He was suspected of protecting illegal drug pushers and traders in Bohol.
However, the Bohol Provincial Police Office has debunked speculations that vigilantes are behind the killing of drug suspects in the province.
Police officials believe murders of alleged drug personalities are likely to be the handiwork of drug syndicates which are in conflict with the victims.