Two Women Fatally Shot in Separate Incidents Across Cebu
In a tragic series of events, two women lost their lives in separate shooting incidents in Cebu on Friday evening and early Saturday, March 6–7, 2026. The violence has prompted swift police action, resulting in arrests and an ongoing manhunt as authorities work to uncover the motives behind these brutal attacks.
Argao Town Arrests in Drug-Related Murder
In Argao town, police arrested two men suspected of killing a woman during a manhunt operation past 5:30 p.m. on Saturday. The victim, identified as Maria Joylyn Loyola, 39, was shot multiple times on Friday evening while sitting on a wooden bench in Barangay Langtad. Authorities have taken into custody Kerby John Villafuerte Gella, 33, a neighbor of the victim, and Nicomedies Padigos Caylan, 64, from Barangay Canbanua-Media, Argao.
During the arrest, police recovered a .45 pistol with a magazine loaded with three rounds of ammunition. Investigation revealed that the suspects arrived at the scene and shot Loyola without uttering a word before fleeing. A witness later identified them, leading to their capture.
Possible Motive: Police are investigating illegal drugs as a potential motive, as Loyola was reportedly involved in selling illegal drugs in Langtad and had a prior arrest for similar offenses. Additionally, Caylan has a previous murder case, while Gella has been linked to illegal drug activities. The Argao Police Station is preparing murder charges against both suspects.
Tabuelan Attack Leaves Woman Dead
In a separate incident earlier Saturday, a 48-year-old woman was killed after a father and son allegedly opened fire in Sitio Magsaysay, Barangay Tabunok, Tabuelan town at 12:20 a.m. The victim, Elena Caritero Cuerpo, 48, was declared dead on arrival at the hospital.
Investigation by the Tabuelan Police Station identified the suspects as Bienvenido Balais Macaraeg, 47, a security guard, and his son, Christian Clifford Cuerpo Macaraeg, 23, both residents of the area. According to police, the two suspects, believed to be intoxicated, forcibly entered the home of live-in partners Floramae Cualipano and Glendon Debalucos Capitero, 28.
Witnesses reported that Bienvenido shouted Cualipano’s name before drawing a firearm and firing at Capitero, who managed to dodge the shot. However, Cualipano was hit. The situation escalated when Bienvenido proceeded to a nearby house occupied by Elena Caritero Cuerpo and her sibling, Glendel Caritero Cuerpo, 30, and opened fire again, striking Elena.
Scuffle Ensues: Upon learning that his partner had been wounded, Capitero chased Bienvenido, leading to a physical altercation. Capitero managed to seize the firearm from Bienvenido and shot him three times. Clifford fled the scene after discovering his father had been shot.
Bienvenido, Elena, and Glendel were transported to the Tuburan District Hospital, where Elena was pronounced dead on arrival. Cualipano received treatment at the Bogo City Provincial Hospital. As of the latest reports, Bienvenido is under hospital arrest with police guard, while his son Clifford remains at large. Police have yet to determine the motive behind this attack.
