A festive Christmas Day in Cebu was shattered by violence as two separate shooting incidents claimed the lives of three men, including two brothers in Cebu City and an ex-convict in a remote mountain village.
Brothers Gunned Down in Sawang Calero Home
The first tragedy unfolded in the early morning of Thursday, December 25, 2025. At 7:58 a.m., two half-brothers were shot inside their residence in Sitio Buwaran, Barangay Sawang Calero, Cebu City.
The victims were identified as Melber Alicaba, 40, and his younger brother Romel Fernandez, 36. Emergency responders rushed them to the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC), but both were declared dead upon arrival.
Initial police investigation from the Sawang Calero station revealed that the alleged assailant, 56-year-old ex-convict Aljun “Kulot” Espina, entered the victims' home accompanied by his nephew. Espina is accused of firing at the brothers with a .45 caliber pistol before escaping.
Swift Arrest and a 15-Year-Old Grudge
Acting on a tip from a witness, police launched a manhunt and successfully apprehended Espina just four hours later. He was captured at his brother's house in Barangay Ermita, and the suspected murder weapon was recovered.
Espina confessed to the crime, revealing a motive rooted in a long-held vendetta. He claimed the shooting was an act of revenge for an incident 15 years prior, where one of the brothers had allegedly attempted to shoot his sibling.
"My siblings were still small when that fight happened; he shot my brother and it’s a good thing he didn’t die. This is just revenge," Espina stated in Cebuano.
Espina, who had been previously incarcerated at the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center (CPDRC) on drug charges, was reportedly released from prison only in November 2025. Police are still searching for his nephew, who acted as a lookout during the attack.
Cebu City Police Office Director, Col. Antonietto Ylanan, praised the Sawang Calero police for the rapid arrest. He emphasized the force's commitment to solving crimes, even isolated ones that are difficult to preempt.
Second Fatal Shooting in Sibonga Mountains
In a separate and unrelated incident in southern Cebu, another ex-convict was found dead on Christmas evening. The body of John Nino Mondido, a resident of Barangay Bahay, Sibonga, was discovered in the mountain village of Barangay Guimbangco-an.
A local resident found Mondido's body around 5 p.m. while gathering goat fodder. Police, who arrived past 7 p.m., found the victim slumped on the ground with a gunshot wound near his right ear.
Mondido had a prior criminal record for violating the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act (Republic Act 9165). Investigators from the Scene of the Crime Operations (SOCO) recovered a single cartridge case from an unidentified firearm at the scene.
As the motive and perpetrator's identity remain unknown, authorities have urged the victim's family to allow an autopsy to aid the ongoing investigation.
The twin incidents cast a dark shadow over the holiday season in Cebu, highlighting ongoing challenges with violence and recidivism. Police investigations into both cases continue.
