By Jennifer P. Rendon
Police investigators are still trying to determine the possible motive behind the killing of a 37-year-old ambulant bread vendor.
The body of Gino Dubria, a resident of Barangay Tabuc Suba, Jaro, Iloilo City, was discovered covered by hagonoy leaves in a vacant lot in Sydney Street, Monte Rosa Residential Estates, Barangay Calahunan, Mandurriao, Iloilo City.
Captain Val Cambel, chief of Iloilo City Police Station 5 (ICPS5), reported that the body bore no visible signs of wounds from gunshot, stabbing, or hacking.
Instead, they observed strangulation marks on his neck and lacerations on his chin and nose. Cambel added that it was highly likely Dubria had been struck by a hard object on his head.
It appears the suspect led Dubria’s family to find the victim’s body.
The suspect, identified as Rodel Cayang, allegedly confessed to a sibling that he had killed his friend Dubria and left the body in a vacant lot in Monte Rosa.
A relative then informed Dubria’s family, who sought help from ICSP5 in locating the victim’s body.
Cambel said police officers and barangay officials started searching for Dubria’s body on the afternoon of Feb. 14, finding him around 7:15 in the evening.
Reports suggest that the victim and Cayang had gone for drinks on the afternoon of Feb. 13. Several hours later, they proceeded to Monte Rosa on a motorcycle driven by Dubria.
Cambel mentioned they were still investigating how the duo managed to enter the subdivision’s main gate since neither were residents.
It remains unclear if Cayang fled through the same main entrance. The motorcycle, however, was not found at the scene.
“Given that the victim was not forced to go there, we are still puzzled as to why Cayang ended up killing Dubria,” Cambel stated.
Reports indicate that the suspect fled to San Remigio, Antique, after the incident. It was revealed that both Dubria and Cayang hailed from the same town.
Dubria, a father of five, later took up selling pandesal, while the suspect secured a job at a bakery in Iloilo City.
