ILOILO City – A drug pushing suspect was shot to death by motorcycle-riding men in Barangay Railway, La Paz district.
Saldy Consing, 56, turned himself in to the police in 2016 claiming he was a drug user, said Senior Inspector Val Ladublan, La Paz police station chief.
The La Paz police, however, believed the victim was also pushing shabu.
Consing was attacked at around 8:10 p.m. on Saturday in front of his house while on a drinking binge with friends.
Two men on a motorcycle stopped in front of Consing and his friends then the back rider started shooting, said Ladublan.
“The killing appeared well-planned and Consing was the only target. After the shooting, the two helmet-wearing men left,” he added.
Consing’s friends were unhurt.
Responding policemen recovered six spent bullet shells at the crime scene.
Consing died of six gunshot wounds while being treated at the Iloilo Mission Hospital.
According to Ladublan, Consing was seldom seen in Barangay Railway and mostly stayed in the province of Antique.
“We received information that he stopped selling illegal drugs in Iloilo City and shifted his operation to Antique,” said Ladublan.
The police chief also said information reached the La Paz police station that Consing had mounting debts “but we are still validating this.”
Consing used to source shabu from two Iloilo City drug lords, Melvin Odicta Sr. and Richard Prevendido, sad Ladublan.
Odicta was shot to death by unidentified gunmen at the Caticlan Jetty Port in Malay, Aklan in August 2016 while Prevendido was killed in a shootout with policemen in Barangay Balabago, Jaro, Iloilo City in September 2017.
As of the writing, the La Paz police had no suspect yet in Consing’s killing.
Meanwhile, as schools reopen the Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Region 6 are resuming the drug war in campuses.
Students are vulnerable to illegal drugs, both agreed.
The focus of the campaign is on demand reduction, according to PDEA regional director Wardley Getalla.
Through lectures on the ill-effects of prohibited substances, both PDEA and the police hope to convince youngsters to stay away from illegal drugs.
“We will be posting personnel in schools in close coordination with the police,” said Getalla./PN
