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Wednesday, April 16, 2003
RIID-NBI asset shot to death; money bag taken
By Mia E. Abellana
A CONFIDENTIAL agent of both the Regional Intelligence and Investigation Division (RIID) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) was gunned down by a lone assailant on Ma. Cristina St., Cebu City at 8:15 last night.
Rodolfo Rivas Jr., 31, succumbed to six gunshot wounds and was declared dead on arrival at the Cebu Doctor’s Hospital.
According to his wife Evan-geline, Rivas was on his way to work when the gunman suddenly grabbed him. Rivas was a cashier at Club Harem in Tipolo, Mandaue City.
Witnesses could not say if it was Rivas’ arm or a dark-colored sling bag the gunman grabbed, but they said a scuffle ensued before shots rang out.
The next thing they knew, Rivas was sprawled on the ground while the gunman ran off with the bag.
Evangeline told homicide investigators that her husband often carried money in the bag.
Homicide investigators told Sun.Star that the money belonged to the club.
Evangeline was not sure how much was inside the bag.
While the grab for the bag made it seem like a robbery, investigators have considered other motives.
Aside from the documents indicating he was a civilian asset for both the RIID and NBI, a permit to carry a .45 pistol was found among his belongings.
His permit to carry a firearm outside the residence was issued on April 22, 2000 and expires on Tuesday next week.
He also had in his wallet P6,000 cash and was wearing two bracelets, two rings, a necklace and a wristwatch.
Bystanders failed to see the gunman’s face because the area was dim and he was wearing a baseball cap.
But they described him to be between 5’6” to 5’7” tall, wearing while long sleeves and dark pants.
They said the gunman fled towards Cebu Doctor’s Hospital.
The gunman was also seen by residents of the interior portion of F. Ramos extension moments after the shooting.
A 15-year-old boy said the gunman seemed to be in a hurry to change into a jacket and then got trapped inside the slum area.
He asked the boy for directions and was last seen heading towards Escario St.
The boy also said he did not see the man’s face because it was dark, but noticed he was carrying a dark-colored bag.
Rivas had six gunshot wounds in the right jaw, right collar bone, left and back part of the head, right arm and the back part of his body.
His body will be submitted for autopsy to determine which of the wounds were the bullets’ entry and exit points.
There were no traces of blood in the crime scene.
Team leader SPO2 Jay Yballe said the bullet holes on Rivas’ body were small.
The police also failed to find slugs or empty shells in the crime scene.
Rivas and his wife, who are Tagalog-speaking, are sfrom Tondo, Manila.
(April 16, 2003 issue)
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