Was foul play involved in death of boatman?

Police are still waiting for results of the autopsy on the body of boatman Antonio Balingit, who was found floating in the waters of Talisay City.

He may have have  accidentally  drowned after  a drinking spree last Thursday.

But police are also looking into the possibility that he was killed after telling police about the escape of Junjun Cabando, a suspect in the foiled Sept. 5 armored van robbery in  Robinsons Place in Cebu City.

“If there was foul play involved, it’s  possible that Cabando hired someone to kill Balingit because Balingit was one of the persons who testified about Cabando’s escape to Panglao, Bohol, on board their  pumpboat,” said Chief Insp. Romeo Santander of the Cebu City Intelligence Branch.

Cabando belongs to a robbery group from Ozamiz City, where police suspect he has gone to hide.

Talisay City police said two crew members, Michael Librando and Joseph Tonga of the Filipino barge  owned by F.F. Cruz Inc., found the  body of Balingit floating in the sea last Saturday afternoon at the fish port in  Tangke, Talisay City.

Balingit along with   Marino Ochea, 43, and  Luisito Ochea, 29, and a young nephew told police how   Cabando rode their pump boat to Panglao Island, Bohol.

But SPO1 Mikie Espina, Talisay chief investigator,  said the boatman was already drunk last Thursday until Friday evening.

Balingit got off the pump boat and went on shore  with liquor.

Police said Balingit may have  drowned accidentally and sustained an injury on his right eye after being tossed about by the waves.