Police Launch Manhunt For Killers of Anti-drug Crusader in Cebu City Mountain Village

Police have launched a manhunt against two unidentified motorcycle-riding men who gunned down a Baptist pastor and anti-drug crusader Monday afternoon in Barangay Bonbon, a hinterland Cebu City village.

Supt. George Ylanan, Regional Special Operations Group (RSOG) 7 chief, said a team is now tracking the killers of Crisostomo Maternal Jr., an evangelist in the Baptist Bonbon Mission Church and a known anti-drug crusader in their barangay.

Police said Maternal, 46, and his companions were on their way home from a Bible study in their church at 5:30 p.m. Monday.

He was riding in tandem on a motorcycle driven by his companion, in a convoy with two other motorcycles.

A fourth motorcycle suddenly overtook them and kicked the motorcycle on the left side of Maternal, who was in the center of the convoy.

When the pastor’s companions fell down on the road, the back rider of the fourth motorcycle shot Maternal in his left ear, with the bullet exiting his temple and killing him instantly.

Police said Maternal had received a death threat the day before he was slain by the unidentified men.

SPO2 Ruth Bongo-Violango of the Homicide section of the Cebu City Police Office said Maternal was a staunch crusader against illegal drugs and they are looking into the possibility that drug pushers killed him.

Maternal was also an active member of the Barangay Intelligence Network (BIN) and his participation in anti-drug operations is one of the motives homicide investigators are looking into. (PNA) LDV/EB/SSC