Two used cell phone dealers gunned down

Two dealers of secondhand cell phones were shot dead in Carbon Public Market, Cebu City, last Tuesday night.

The victims were a 17-year-old boy and Darel Juezan, both from barangay Pahina Central, Cebu City. The two succumbed to multiple gunshot wounds in their bodies.

Police said the two victims men were trying to sell cell phones to Pertlita Wagas, a vegetable vendor, on Progreso Street when three unidentified men on a motorcycle arrived and shot them.

The assailant hurriedly left after the attack.

Recovered from the crime scene were six empty shells, three slugs and a live bullet of a .45 pistol.

Police dismissed public perception that the crime was a handiwork of vigilantes.

SPO4 Dennis Moga, deputy chief of the homicide section of the Cebu City Police Office, said the killing may have something to do with the two victims’ involvement in selling secondhand phones.

Moga said operation is ongoing to arrest three bystanders in the area who are suspected to be behind the attack.

Rose, mother of Juezan, said she has been advising his son to stop selling secondhand  cell phones as these are defectives and could draw the ire of their customers.

Police said the two victims refused to accept cell phones that were returned by their buyers for being defective.

Rose told police that she heard her son last Monday night talking to someone over the phone regarding cell phones they were dealing.

Police said investigation will be made to find out where the two victims got the cell phones that they tried to sell./CORRESPONDENTS CARINE M. ASUTILLA, CHITO O. ARAGON AND RHEA RUTH V. ROSELL