Drugs, politics seen as motive in Cebu small town mayor’s murder

THE POLICE are looking at illegal drugs and politics as motives in the murder of Mayor Mariano Y. Blanco III of Ronda, a 5th class municipality in the southwestern part of Cebu. Reports from The Freeman said four men barged into the mayor’s office at 1:30 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 5, after ordering two workers outside the office to drop to the floor. A burst of fire was then heard and the armed men immediately fled the scene. Mr. Blanco was found soaked in blood and dead. In early May 2016, just before the elections, Mr. Blanco reported that unidentified armed men fired upon his service vehicle while he was on his way to a campaign sortie. He has also been included in the list of alleged politicians involved in the illegal drug trade.