Cadiz slay person of interest nabbed in drug bust

By Glazyl M. Jopson

BACOLOD CITY — Police arrested a 21-year-old man in a drug bust Sunday after he was tagged in the killing of a 38-year-old woman in Cadiz City, Negros Occidental, last week.

Police Lt. Daleen Grace Loreno, deputy chief of the Cadiz City Police Station, identified the subject as Idoy, a resident of Barangay Sicaba.

Police confiscated 11 grams of suspected shabu valued at PHP 74,800 from Idoy.

Before the buy-bust operation, Idoy’s grandfather turned him over to the police Saturday for safekeeping after he was tagged in the death of their neighbor.

Loreno said police received information linking Idoy to the death of the woman, who was found dead near a waiting shed in Sitio Capayas, Barangay Sicaba, on May 22.

The woman had reportedly been waiting for her husband when the incident happened.

However, Loreno said police could not hold Idoy longer at the police station because there was no substantial evidence linking him to the killing.

She said police saw scratches on Idoy during an inspection, but he denied involvement in the crime.

“We’re working out to have a witness who can positively identify the perpetrator,” Loreno said, adding that police only have circumstantial evidence.

Police initially considered robbery as a possible motive, as the woman was supposed to go to a lending firm with her husband at the time of the incident.

Police launched the buy-bust operation against Idoy after he was classified as a street-level individual, a term used by law enforcement for a person allegedly involved in the retail distribution of illegal drugs.

He is now detained for a drug offense.

Loreno said Idoy admitted engaging in the illegal drug trade.

She said Idoy also had previous records in the barangay with his companions for allegedly stealing fighting cocks.

“Daw troublemaker gid na siya sa dira, daw burden gid siya sa ila,” she added.

Loreno said Idoy’s two companions had also been previously arrested for drug offenses.