BACOLOD CITY, Negros Occidental, Philippines – Police here are still probing the public execution of a man, the second Cuadra to be murdered here under quarantine conditions and amid the Duterte government’s intensified war on drugs.
Major Richard Fajarito, chief of the police station probing the death of Lino Javier Cuadra, said “it is difficult” to probe the case as the police has “no witness and no suspect so far” almost a week after the victim was gunned down near 7pm at a public jeepney terminal along the Lacson national highway.
Cuadra, 62, a resident of the sub-village of Sigay in Village 2, was shot several times and died from his wounds.
He was killed almost exactly 10 months to the day after another Cuadra, Gerald, was gunned down in front of a private hospital at the busy BS Aquino Street.
Gerald, the son of convicted drug lord, Jose Kim Cuadra, was a cousin of Lino, Fajarito said.
Lino’s death is the latest in a string of public executions here just before and during the implementation of quarantine measures due to COVID.
The murders started with Eric Alcosaba who was killed on 16 February 2020 around 3:50pm at the busy Carlos Hilado highway near the Lopue’s East mall and just across a McDonald’s store.
Two months later, also on a 16th, former star cager and ex village chief Manuel Huelar was also shot dead as he was working out in a fitness gym.
Exactly a month later to the date, 16 May, Gerald Cuadra was shot dead.
Five days later, businessman Roland Tan was also killed outside his office at the Shopping Commercial Complex, less than a kilometer away from where Gerald was slain.
Except for Lino Cuadra, all the victims were killed within the Villamonte village area, all under the operational territory of Police Station 4.
