CEBU CITY — The former police officer who was gunned down in Barangay Punta Princesa at dawn Sunday here was involved in illegal drug activities.
The Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7) on Monday said that the motive in the assassination of PO3 Ben Serohijos, formerly of the Bohol Provincial Police Office, is most likely due to his involvement in illegal drugs.
PRO-7 information officer Supt. Reyman Tolentin said that Serohijos had been absent without official leave (Awol) since early 2016 and was dropped from the roster in August of the same year after he did not report to his new assignment in the Cordillera Administrative Region.
According to Tolentin, Serohijos was reassigned to the Cordillera Region from the Loay Police Station in Bohol because of his alleged involvement in the illegal drug trade in Central Visayas.
But despite the victim’s involvement in drugs, Tolentin said his murder still needs to be investigated and solved just like any other criminal case.
Serohijos was shot dead by an unidentified gunman past 1:00 a.m. Sunday along Zodiac Drive of Pleasant Homes Subd. in Barangay Punta Princesa.
Responding policemen recovered a small sachet of methamphetamine hydrochloride or “shabu” from his wallet together with his Philippine National Police identification card.
Serojihos has been working as a security supervisor of a security agency after he went Awol, and the PRO-7 is also investigating why he was in the area which is not included in his patrolling duties as supervisor. (PNA)