IF witnesses are to be believed, there were at least eight persons behind the death of retired policeman Nonito Taoy.

Insp. Carlos Reyes, chief of the Carmen Police Station, said they are preparing two cartographic sketches of the gunmen, who killed Taoy outside the M1 Security Agency in Barangay Cogon West, Carmen.

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Taoy, 65, worked as supervisor and inspector of the agency.

Reyes said they want to focus on getting the identities of the gunmen by preparing cartographic sketches based on the description of the witnesses.

Witnesses gave descriptions of two men, who were passengers of two motorcycles that stopped in front of the agency when Taoy stepped out.

Other accounts said there were actually two more motorcycles each with a driver and passenger following the two gunmen.

Reyes said that, for now, all they have are faces but no identities.

Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) Director Jesus Gaquing, for his part, said he will also set up a team to aid the Carmen Police in their investigation.

They still cannot say what the motive for the killing was.

Aside from his being a former policeman, he is identified with the town mayor and was allegedly kidnapped in the 2007 elections by the mayor’s rival.

Taoy’s niece, Arlene Booc, said Taoy kept to himself most of the time. She narrated that if he had any enemies or misunderstandings, he would not tell his family.

They are sure, though, that Taoy did not have any disagreements with anybody in their neighborhood.

Booc, who was tasked to work on the arrangements for the wake, urged the police to give justice to her uncle’s death.

Taoy left behind a wife and two children, who are now married.

She added that Pua already talked to Taoy’s wife and assured the family of all the help she could provide.

Asked if the family feared for their safety, she said it did not cross their minds because they believe his death had something to do with his job.

Also yesterday, an executive staff member of Pua called up the Sun.Star Superbalita office to clarify that the mayor was not the owner of M1 Security Agency.

The staffer, who identified herself as Donna, said the agency is owned by Nene Enriquez.

However, Reyes said Pua is one of the incorporators of the agency.

Reyes made a clarification that Taoy was not the mayor’s personal bodyguard but that he worked for the agency with the mayor as one of five proprietors.

Reyes said they will allow the family to grieve first and recover from the shock of the incident.

He said that they already asked the family for cooperation in the investigation and will give them time to finalize burial preparations. (with DRT of Superbalita