Police authorities in Cebu City have made a significant breakthrough in the investigation of a high-profile killing that shocked a local community. Investigators have successfully identified the individuals believed to be responsible for the fatal shooting of a barangay councilor in the Sawang Calero area.
Details of the Fatal Attack
The victim was identified as Councilor Ramon Diamante, who also worked as a fish trader at the Pasil Fish Port. The attack occurred in the early hours of Saturday, January 3, along General Gines Street. According to police reports, Diamante was shot by two assailants who were riding together on a single motorcycle, a method commonly referred to as riding-in-tandem.
Police Investigation and Breakthrough
Colonel George Ylanan, the chief of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), confirmed that while the names of the suspects are being withheld from the public, a manhunt operation is actively underway. The identification was made possible after a thorough review of closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage from the vicinity by investigators from the Sawang Calero Police Station.
Colonel Ylanan revealed a crucial connection, stating the shooting is linked to a previous shooting incident within the same barangay that authorities had recently solved. "It was related to another shooting incident. It was related because those involved belong to the same barangay. The POIs (persons of interest) or the suspects are identified. They are already the subject of a manhunt operation," Ylanan explained.
Expanded Network and Ongoing Manhunt
The probe uncovered that more than two individuals participated in the crime. Backtracking of the CCTV evidence indicated that accomplices were strategically positioned in the area. These individuals acted as lookouts, providing real-time information to the gunman and the motorcycle driver during the attack.
Police have also secured witnesses who were able to recognize the suspects. Authorities believe the perpetrators are residents of the same neighborhood as the victim. This development follows a direct order from Brigadier General Redrico Maranan, director of the Police Regional Office 7, for the CCPO to resolve the case swiftly and without delay.
The Cebu City Police Office continues its pursuit, leveraging both technological evidence and community intelligence to apprehend all individuals involved in the councilor's murder.
