Man robbed, killed in San Remegio

A man was allegedly held up and killed by a group of robbers  in barangay Libaong, San Remigio town, yesterday.

Edito Ponce, believed to be in his late 40s, was found lying prone and bloodied along the road around 4 a.m.

Police investigation revealed that the victim won in a cockfight earlier. In the evening, police said the victim was last seen with ten other men around 2 a.m. in a disco.

Witnesses told police that a certain Dante Paduga, 36, was among those who were with the victim in the disco.

Police said at around 2:45 a.m., witnesses saw five to seven men hitting the victim’s head with a hard metal object along the road.

Ponce was brought to the Cevero Verallo Hospital but did not make it.

In a phone interview, Senior Insp. Jose Rovic Villarin of San Remigio police said they discovered Ponce’s wallet already gone.

Villarin said it was possible that the suspects were eyeing his winnings  from the cockfight.

Police conducted a hot- pursuit operation and arrested Paduga.

Paduga, who was arrested outside their house in barangay Libho, Tabogon, yesterday past 7 a.m., told police he was not part of the robbery and killing of Ponce.

However, Paduga admitted to police that the other men seen with the victim that night were his “kauban” (companions).

“It’s good if you will arrest my companions because only they knew what really happened,” Paduga told police in Cebuano.

Police are still conducting a hot-pursuit operation on the suspects.