Police still in hot pursuit vs Dutch killers

ANGELES CITY -- Police authorities in Pampanga said Tuesday that they are still in hot pursuit against the suspected killers of Dutch national Wilhelmus Geertman, who was gunned down last July 3.

Two men wearing bull caps barged into the gates of the Alay Bayan Luson Inc. (ABI-Luson) at the L&S Subdivision in Barangay Telebastagan, City of San Fernando, a little past noon of July 3.

The suspects then shot and killed Geertman, 67, and the ABI-Luson executive director, at close range.

Inspector Gerry Fronda, commander of the Community Police Action Center (Compac) 4 in Telebastagan who leads the investigation, told Sun.Star Pampanga that they already have a list of suspects.

Fronda, however, cleared that he is not in the position to reveal how many suspects there are, as well as their identities, pending the investigation.

To date, he said the police are focusing on the identities of the three men on board a motorbike escaping from the scene captured by the subdivision's close circuit television (CCTV) camera.

The CCTV also showed a likely back-up of two men driving an old red sedan.

According to another witness, it is the red Gallant that dropped off the two killers to the street nearest to the ABI-Luson office.

The ABI-Luson has remained doubtful of the local police's angle on the investigation that it was a case of robbery with homicide.

Ranilo Margallo, an ABI-Luson's senior staff and one of those who actually saw the killing, said the killing was a desperate attempt to scare all those going against environment degradation and violation of common people's rights.

"Big logging and mining operations are billions worth of profit for foreign and local investors. They will gain much on Wim's (Geertman) death," he said.

Meanwhile, Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) "Geertman" is still tracing the license plate number of the getaway car. (Wilfredo A. Villareal/Ric Sapnu)