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Published: 7:54 p.m., July 27, 2018 | Updated: 11:43 p.m., July 28, 2018
CEBU CITY — The series of killings in the city and Metro Cebu continued on Friday with a former radioman turned antinarcotics agent as the latest victim of what Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma had said was the reign of a culture of impunity.
Earl Rallos, 48, of Labangon, this city, was driving his gray Toyota Altis when he was shot repeatedly by still unknown assailants on Friday.
He suffered multiple gunshot wounds in the head and body.
Rallos was assistant operations officer of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Central Visayas.
He worked with Bombo Radyo and radio station dySS for nearly 20 years before he joined the PDEA in 2009.
Bystander hit
Chief Insp. Ma. Theresa Macatangay, Fuente police station chief, said the attack on Rallos could be related to his work in the PDEA.
A bystander, a “habal-habal” (motorcycle-for-hire) driver, was hit by a stray bullet in the cheek and is now in stable condition at a hospital.
The attack on Rallos was the second in nearly five years on a former broadcaster who joined the PDEA.
On Sept. 14, 2013, Jesus “Jessie” Tabanao, also a former Cebu broadcaster and PDEA spokesperson, was gunned down by a lone assailant.
The killer had been identified and charged but remained at large.
With intent to kill
Macatangay appealed to witnesses to “please help us solve this case.”
“All that is certain at the moment was there was really an intent to kill,” Macatangay said.
Police recovered 18 .45-caliber bullet shells from where Rallos was attacked.
Rallos left behind a wife and four children. He was the latest casualty in the series of murders in Cebu City and Metro Cebu.
A witness said a man on a motorcycle drove near Rallos and fired repeatedly.
‘Cause for alarm’
Rallos tried to crawl out to safety but the assailant got off his motorcycle, crossed the street and shot Rallos in the head.
Arnold Bustamante, a close friend of Rallos and head of the Defense PNP Press Corps, a group of police beat reporters, said he was shocked at the killing of Rallos.
“This is a cause for alarm,” he said. /jpv /pdi