Alleged top drug personality gunned down

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – Police are looking into drug-related issues or grudges as possible motives behind the killing of a suspected drug personality at Canetown Subdivision, Barangay 19-A, Victorias City, Negros Occidental yesterday.

The victim was identified as Danilo Toreña, 59, of the said village.

According to Police Lieutenant Colonel Eduardo Corpuz, city police chief, Toreña was on the list of suspected drug peddlers in the city.

Toreña was riding a motorcycle on his way home from the market when two unidentified motorcycle-riding suspects tailed and shot him at close range.

Corpuz said the victim succumbed to four gunshot wounds in the head and other parts of the body.

Police recovered from the scene five casings of .9mm-caliber ammunition, two deformed slugs of undetermined caliber, and a .9mm slug.

Corpuz said they had previously urged Toreña to surrender to the authorities through the help of his sibling, but he refused and allegedly continued engaging in the illegal drug trade.

Corpuz claimed that Toreña used minors as drug runners.

“Mahirap siya ipin down kasi mga kabataan ang ginagamit niya, alam niya naman na kasi na hinahunting siya pero ayaw mag surrender,” the police chief added.

Corpuz also said the victim returned to the city very recently after he probably went into hiding in other areas.

Toreña was previously arrested for a drug offense but was released after his case was dismissed for a reason which Corpuz did not know.

“We’re investigating the case kasi baka onsehan or baka retaliation din ng may grudges sa kanya, lahat ng anggulo titingnan,” Corpuz said.