Ex-seaman shot dead while sleeping

By Jennifer P. Rendon

A former seafarer was shot while sleeping inside his own house at Barangay Pagdugue, Dumangas, Iloilo.

The incident was discovered around 6:30 a.m. on June 28 after a neighbor saw the bloodied body of Cezar Dipus Jr.

It was initially thought that the 47-year-old victim died of suicide. He was also said to have died of a slash injury on his neck.

But investigation conducted by the PNP Scene of the Crime Operation (SOCO) team revealed that the victim suffered a gunshot wound on his neck, with the bullet exiting from his right shoulder.

Staff Sergeant Terence John Soria, Dumangas police investigator, said that a certain Ever Calubayan, the victim’s neighbor, saw Cezar’s bloodied body through a gap in the main door.

He was lying on a folding bed near the door.

Soria said the victim had no defense wound.

“There was no sign of struggle. The door lock of his house was destroyed suggesting forcible entry,” he said.

It was surmised that the shooting episode happened between 5:30 a.m. and 6 a.m.

As this developed, police have two persons of interest behind the killing.

They were identified as Jesus Dipus Sr., 63, and his son, 23-year-old Jesus Jr. The victim is the former’s nephew.

They live some 10 meters away from the victim’s house.

A neighbor claimed that the two were seen walking together from Cezar’s house prior to the discovery of his body.

A witness added that the two boarded a bus going to Iloilo City.

Soria said the Dipus father and son have not been seen in the area, as of this writing.

With the two as the suspects, “we are inclined to believe that the motive could be old grudges. They had bad blood over a family conflict,” Soria said.

But police investigators have yet to give further details on the conflict between the two parties.

It was gathered that Cezar has been living alone in their ancestral house. His wife and child are allegedly staying in Metro Manila.