Police summon LTFRB chief over transport leader slay

THE Davao City Police Office (DCPO) is set to question Land Transportation Franchise and Regulatory Board (LTFRB)-Davao Director Benjamin Go after his name surfaced in the probe into the killing of a former transport group leader.

DCPO chief Ronald M. dela Rosa, in a phone interview with Sun.Star Davao, said they have already summoned Go to appear at the DCPO headquarters on Monday after he was linked to the killing of Emilio de Jesus Rivera, a 45-year-old mechanic and driver and a former chairman of the Matina Transportation Corporation (Matransco).

Rivera was gunned down at corner McArthur Highway and Tahimik Avenue in Bangkal last Monday.

Senior Superintendent Dela Rosa said they have acquired new information after interrogating one Ricardo Alipio Lopez, alias Ricky, a 49-year-old fixer at the LTFRB and a transient resident at Km. 6, Matina Pangi, who was arrested last Monday at Milky Deramas Boarding House in Matina Pangi.

"Na-link si Go diri sa incident kay nakig-transaction man gud ang iyang bodyguard sa mga gun-for-hire. Naa na daw sugo nga ipapatay si Go pero ang bodyguard niya nag-offer ug masdako sa mga gun-for-hire aron mabali ang target (Go was linked to the incident since his bodyguard made a transaction with the gun-for-hire. There was allegedly an assassination plot on Go but his bodyguard made a bigger offer to the gun-for-hire to change the target)" dela Rosa said.

Dela Rosa said the initial offer for the assassination of Go was P70,000 but his bodyguard increased this to P100,000, which allegedly prompted the suspects to gun down Rivera instead.

Sun.Star Davao failed to contact Go to comment on what dela Rosa said.

The Investigation and Detection Management Branch (IDMB) and Talomo police will spearhead the investigation on Go, according to Dela Rosa.

Lopez, meanwhile, is facing raps for murder and violation of the Republic Act 9165, otherwise known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

Superintendent Julius E. Silagan, Talomo police chief, said Lopez was the one who sent a text message to the victim, prompting the latter to go to corner of Tahimik Ave. where he was shot dead.

Police also recovered a black pouch containing one plastic sachet of suspected shabu, four aluminum foils containing residue of suspected shabu and three improvised tooters, and two disposable lighters from the possession of Lopez.

IDMB and Talomo police are also conducting further investigation for the arrest of the gunman.