Drug-related is one of the angles zeroed in by police investigators looking into the murder of two men in Tubigon town Wednesday afternoon although one of the victims was implicated in the daylight slaying of former B-Unido mayor Felix Garcia in 2004. The Garcia slaying was likewise being looked into by police but it was more on the drug angle that their concentration was focused as it was widely known in the town that he was involved in the prohibited business. Court records show that the victim is facing charges of violating Section 11, Article 2 (possession of illegal drugs) of the Comprehensive Drugs Act of 2002 as amended. He was out on bail at the time of his death. This was confirmed by SPO4 Fernando Peroranes, Tubigon police station investigation officer, who said the victim identified as Ricardo Avenido Mascarinas, was allegedly involved in the drug trade in the municipality. His companion who also died in the shooting incident was identified as Edwin Atup Aranzado, a barangay kagawad of Mariveles, Dauis town.

The two had just attended an illegal cockfight in barangay Cahayag, Tubigon town, when waylaid by motorcycle riding gunmen. Mascarinas was brought to a hospital in this city but was pronounced dead on arrival. His pal died on the spot. Mascarinas and his companion was in his blue SUV when killed. Barangay Cahayag, located about five kilometers from the town proper, was thrown in virtual uproar following the killing of the two. Commotion was all over central Cahayag Wednesday afternoon when the elder brother of Mascarinas, a policeman, gave chase to the suspects riding in tandem. The policeman identified as Rosam Mascarinas gave up chasing the suspects when he sensed that they were armed with long arms. With the sight of the long arms, Tubigon investigators are still at a loss what kind of firearms were used in the murder. Local police are still awaiting forensic results to determine the kind of firearms used.

BIRTHDAY

That fateful day that Mascarinas was gunned down happened to be his 40th birthday. A resident of Ilijan Norte, Tubigon town, the atmosphere in his resident was festive arising from the birthday celebration. There was merry making all over the place as food was in abundance. In fact, on the night of his birthday, a local band provided the entertainment aspect. In an interview with Ilijan Norte barangay captain Erickson Calunia, he heard the loud music of the band coming from the direction of the Mascarinas residence the night he was killed. As if the show must go on, the merriment went in progress that fateful night even if the victim was in the funeral parlor for embalming purposes.

GARCIA SLAY

A son of a well off family in Tubigon, Mascarinas' mother is an Avenido from B-Unido town. She is the sister of former General Anselmo Avenido, former top honcho of the Philippine Drugs Enforcement Agency (PDEA). The victim was implicated in the murder of former mayor Garcia of B-Unido. Elected board member in the 2004 elections, Garcia was to take his oath of office five days later only to meet his untimely demise when he took a bullet in the head. The former mayor and board member was killed near the Talibon gym in Talibon on June 26, 2004. A certain Rex Ravelo was pinpointed as the gunman while Mascarinas drove the motorcycle they used in their getaway on the day of the killing. Four years after a protracted trial, the two were acquitted owing for the failure of the prosecution to prove their guilt beyond reasonable proof.

The defense's argument that Ravelo could not have committed the crime because at the time of the Garcia slaying, he was confined at the New Bilibid Prisons in Muntinglupa. Retired Presiding Judge Pablo Magdoza of the Regional Trial Court Branch 48 agreed with the defense's position causing the acquittal of the two. The Tubigon shooting incident was on top of two other separating killings the past weeks. Earlier, two men were killed in Ubay, while two separate killings in Trinidad and Inabanga took place last week, too. Shot dead in Trinidad was an owner of an amusement joint (peryahan) based in B-Unido. The victim was identified as Pablo Auxtero, of legal age and a resident of San Jose, Talibon town. He was on his way from B-Unido to Talibon when waylaid by gunmen along the Trinidad highway particularly in barangay La Victoria.

Meanwhile, in Inabanga another killing incident took place in barangay Ilaud last week with a husband and wife as victims. Two masked men barged into the residence of Enrique Sumarago, 52, killing him instantly. The gunmen also assaulted his wife identified as Luciana Sumarago, 47, but survived the attack. She is now confined at the Gallares Memorial Hospital, this city, after suffering a bullet wound in her back. Her husband took four bullets in his body resulting in his instant death.