The daughter of slain former Jagoliao, Getafe barangay captain Alejandro Abaño was gunned down inside her home in Cebu City by still unidentified assailants in the wee hours of Friday, making her the third member of her immediate family to be shot dead in five months.
Vicenta Abaño, 40, died on the spot inside her house in Barangay Suba, Cebu City after she was shot by one of two men who were trailing her as she was walking towards her home at past 12 midnight.
“Gi-atangan siya kay ilang balay daplin sa kalsada, mura’g ngitngit way suga kaayo unya mingaw adtong time-a,” said Master Sgt. Rey Iligan of the San Nicolas Police Precinct.
She was alone when she was shot multiple times. She was found sprawled on her bed with gunshot wounds in different parts of her body.
“Naay samad [pinusilan] sa ulo, baba, li-og ug sa may right arm,” he said.
Her father, Alejandro, was also killed execution style in front of his wife inside their home in Jagoliao by two of around 20 heavily armed, bonnet-clad men who surrounded their residence on June 28.
Less than a month later on July 19, her brother Niñolito was gunned down by two unidentified men inside his auto repair shop in Barangay Pahina, San Nicolas in Cebu City.
Police have noted that all three killings are likely related but further investigations will still be conducted to pinpoint the motive behind Vicenta’s murder.
Iligan noted that Vicenta was an “asset” for the police and had reported on various crimes including illegal drug activities.
He also described the village where Vicenta was killed as a hotbed of crime.
“Barangay Ambot ng lugara diha…dugay na siya na-report gani, taud-taud mani siya na-report na naay gipusil sa lugar, mga illegal na buhat, mga Barangay Ambot na sila diha,” said Iligan.
The Abaños including Alejandro who was a native of Getafe were mostly based in Cebu prior to their deaths.
Former Police Regional Office 7 Brig. Gen. Debold Sinas earlier said that Alejandro met him right before the 2019 midterm polls, asking for help after his political rivals allegedly accused him of being involved in illegal drug activities.
Alejandro, 73, and Junrey Boc, 37, his relative and aide, died on the spot due to multiple gunshot wounds after they were shot in Jagoliao by the suspects who arrived at the island using a large pumpboat and fled the area onboard the same vessel.
The village is about an hour away from mainland Getafe by boat. (A. Doydora)