CEBU CITY — A suspected gunman arrested after the fatal shooting of an online seller in Cebu City allegedly told investigators that he was paid ₱10,000 to carry out the killing, raising fresh questions about possible links between illegal drugs and contract-style violence in the city.
The suspect, identified by police as Jun Abella Cabarrubias, 34, was arrested shortly after the August 9 shooting in Sitio Lawis, Barangay Pasil, Cebu City, where 38-year-old online seller Renevie Tanlangit Inot was fatally shot while inside her room.
According to police, Cabarrubias allegedly entered the victim’s room and shot her in the head using a .45-caliber pistol.
Investigators are now looking into the suspect’s alleged claim that he received ₱10,000 for the hit, as well as his reported statements concerning illegal drugs and how they allegedly influenced his actions.
The details remain part of the ongoing investigation, and authorities have not established in court that the suspect was acting as a paid killer or that drugs were definitively responsible for the shooting.
Gun allegedly jammed during escape
The arrest came after the suspect reportedly attempted to flee the area following the shooting.
According to SunStar, residents chased and confronted Cabarrubias after hearing the gunfire. He allegedly attempted to fire the pistol again, but the weapon jammed.
Responding police officers from the Sawang Calero Police Station subsequently took him into custody.
Authorities recovered the firearm allegedly used in the shooting and submitted it for ballistic examination. Investigators are checking whether the weapon may have been connected to other unsolved shooting incidents in Cebu City.
Police probe possible drug connection
Police have also been examining a possible connection between the killing and illegal drugs.
Sawang Calero Police Station chief Maj. Noah Labra Añana said investigators were looking into allegations that the victim may have been perceived by individuals involved in illegal drugs as someone who had provided information to authorities.
Police have described Cabarrubias as someone allegedly hired to carry out killings, although the investigation is still determining who may have ordered the attack and why.
The case therefore goes beyond the arrest of the alleged shooter. Investigators are also trying to establish whether another person or group commissioned the killing.
Victim reportedly mistaken for an informant
One of the key angles being examined by investigators is whether Inot was mistakenly identified as someone who had reported alleged drug activities to authorities.
That allegation is particularly significant because it could establish a possible motive for the shooting, but authorities still need to substantiate it through evidence and witness statements.
The circumstances are also being examined against a broader backdrop of intensified anti-crime and anti-drug operations in Cebu.
In July, the Cebu Police Provincial Office reported nearly 200 arrests during a week-long anti-crime campaign covering illegal drugs, wanted persons, illegal gambling and unlicensed firearms. Police reported 78 drug-related arrests and the seizure of more than ₱1 million worth of suspected shabu during that particular operation.
Cebu police continue crackdown
Cebu authorities have continued conducting operations against suspected drug personalities and illegal firearms.
In June, separate operations in Cebu City and Asturias resulted in the arrest of three suspects and the seizure of more than ₱10.6 million worth of suspected shabu, according to SunStar. One of those arrested was a barangay councilor whom police identified as a high-value individual.
Earlier this year, a joint operation involving PDEA-7, the Cebu Police Provincial Office and other agencies resulted in the seizure of approximately 8 kilograms of suspected shabu worth ₱54.4 million in Naga City, Cebu. Authorities said the operation formed part of broader efforts to disrupt drug distribution networks in the province.
What happens next?
For investigators, the most important questions now are whether the ₱10,000 payment can be corroborated, who allegedly ordered the killing, and whether the recovered firearm has been used in other crimes.
Authorities are also expected to determine whether the suspect’s statements about illegal drugs can be supported by independent evidence.
The arrest may have solved one part of the case, but investigators are still pursuing the people who may have been behind the shooting.
As of the latest reports, the investigation remains ongoing.
Authorities continue to remind the public to report suspicious activities and provide information that could help identify individuals involved in violent crime and illegal drug activities.
WWC ONE MEDIA J.M.S
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