P500T reward offered for info on Briton's killers

SIPALAY CITY -- Negros Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon offered a P500,000 reward for information that will lead to the speedy apprehension of the suspects in the slaying Monday evening of a British businessman in this city.

Anthony Nicholas was shot dead by unidentified suspects about 50 meters from their farm house while he, his wife Judith Grijaldo Nicholas and their helper Rona Lirazan, were on their way home aboard a tricycle the victim was driving.

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Sipalay City Mayor Oscar Montilla ordered the police to expedite the investigation and the arrest of the suspects.

Marañon, who personally met Tuesday with local and foreign tourist investors in Sipalay, said the killing should not affect the city and province's tourism industry.

The governor also requested for the immediate deployment of tourist police in Sipalay.

The National Bureau of Investigation will also send a team Wednesday also to conduct an investigation into the case, said Marañon.

Meanwhile, Negros Occidental Provincial Police Office (Noppo) director Manuel Felix directed on Tuesday the deputy chief of the Noppo Investigation and Detective Management Section to help the ongoing investigations.

Felix also directed all police chiefs to enhance existing close coordination policy with the tourist destination managers in the province.

"This measure is intended to determine security requirements and to further improve police visibility in places frequented by tourist," he added.

Paul Platt, a Canadian national who lives in Sipalay, admitted that the members of the expatriate community are saddened about what happened to their friend. (Teresa Ellera-Dulla/Merlinda Pedrosa)