| Injured | Killed |
|---|---|
| 0 | 1 |
Date: 17 April 2010
Source: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/network/engineer-shot-dead
Engineer shot dead
Friday, April 17, 2009
CEBU CITY — An electrical engineer who was on his way to work was shot dead Thursday morning along the highway of Barangay Pitogo, Consolacion town.
Malequias Ceballo, 50, was driving his Toyota pick-up when three men on a motorcycle shot him at least six times.
The shooting led Ceballo to lose control of the vehicle until it swerved to the opposite lane and flipped at the side of the road, stalling morning traffic.
Police recovered six empty shells and two deformed slugs fired from a .45 pistol.
In Ceballo’s possession was a clutch bag containing two pistols and two magazines loaded with ammunition.
The two pistols, a .40 and .45, are in the custody of the Consolacion Police Station. Of the two guns, the police confirmed the .40 pistol was covered by a license.
Also recovered among Ceballo’s belongings were a laptop computer, identification cards, a wrist watch and a cellular phone.
Superintendent Erson Digal, deputy provincial director for administration, said they were still looking into the motive of the killing. At least three motives are being considered.
Reporters learned that Malequias was not in good terms with his brother, SPO1 Silas Ceballo of the Compostela Police Station.
Malequias told another brother, Evenizer, that the Office of the Ombudsman already issued a six-month suspension order against Silas.
Evenizer and Malequias met last Sunday at the church in Compostela town and Malequias mentioned to him that the order took effect.
This was after Malequias accused him of planting evidence.
Malequias allegedly accused Silas and a fellow policeman in Compostela of illegally searching his vehicle and planting an unlicensed firearm.
Silas and Malequias reportedly have been arguing because Malequias was pursuing a second-degree cousin.
Help
Silas reportedly disapproved of it and during one of their arguments, Malequias allegedly got violent, leading them to call for police assistance.
Silas and SPO2 Ramon Perales reportedly searched his vehicle and found a firearm.
It was Silas who first rushed to the area where his brother was shot.
Radio reports stated it was Silas who decided not to wait for the Scene of the Crime Operations (Soco) to arrive.
However, Senior Inspector Elmer Fernandez, chief of the Consolacion Police Station, said the failure of Soco to arrive would not hamper their investigation.
He explained they were able to take photos of the crime scene and that all the evidence were accounted for before they allowed the body to be moved.
He added that the vehicle created a traffic jam that was only eased at 10 a.m.
Women
Malequias was also separated from his wife, Jocelyn.
Silas noted that his brother was living with a woman Elma Araba and that they now have two sons.
Malequias was also allegedly pursuing his second-degree cousin and was allegedly involved with an older woman.
Jocelyn told reporters that she and Malequias married in 1991 and separated in 1995.
However, she said they remained friends and that he continued to give her and their two teenage daughters support each payday.
Asked if she knew of any enemies of her husband, Jocelyn said she did not. She knew he had a falling-out with his brother, but that she did not know what caused the rift.
Jocelyn and her daughters are now based in Valladolid, Carcar, where she works as a teacher.
Melody Ceballo, Silas’ daughter, claimed her father wanted to make amends but Malequias reportedly refused.
Land
Aside from these, Malequias has a case pending before the Court of Appeals regarding a land dispute in Liloan town.
Malequias reportedly bought a parcel of land owned by siblings. The portion he claimed was reportedly bigger than what was sold to him and a case was filed against siblings Hermelina Soon-Monte and Severina Soon-
Companayan.
The court dismissed the case in favor of the siblings but Malequias filed an appeal, which is still pending.
The siblings said they would not resort to having him killed.
Police also learned that Malequias received a threat through a text message sometime last year.
Malequias worked as an electrical engineer for Cebu Holdings Inc. He hails from Barangay Cogon, Compostela.
For now, Senior Inspector Fernandez admitted that they still had several angles to sift through before they could close in on a motive for the killing. (MEA of Sun.Star Cebu)