Friday, November 16, 2007
Kin of drive-by shooting victims ask cops to hasten suspects’ arrest
FAMILIES and relatives of drive-by shooting victims gathered yesterday on Ascension St. in Barangay Sambag I, Cebu City to reiterate their appeal to police to double its effort in arresting alleged gunman and fraternity member Aristotle “Aris” Aves.
Ascension St. is one of the three areas in the city where Aves and a cohort, who served as the motorcycle driver, went on a shooting spree last Oct. 4 that left three people dead and four others injured.
Wearing white shirts and holding posters and pictures of the victims, the families and relatives of slain victims Laurence Morados, 22; Lord Stephen Pasco Vasquez, 18; and William John Aznar, 24, said they will not stop voicing out their cries for justice until Aves and his still unidentified cohort will be put in jail.
Arrest Aves
The parents of the victims – Bobby Morados, Lermy Pasco and Consuelo Aznar – said they are hoping that the police could arrest Aves soon to prevent him from victimizing other innocent people.
Lermy, who celebrated her 40th birthday yesterday, said her only wish is “justice for my son and the other victims.”
While they recognized the effort of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) to identify and file charges against Aves and the cohort, Consuelo said she and the other families of the slain victims want to see the perpetrators pay for the crime they committed in jail.
“It’s better if there is a shoot-to-kill (order),” Consuelo said, adding that she has lost all the people she loved after William John’s death. William is the younger of the two children of William Sr. and Consuelo. William’s brother, Christopher Jake Aznar, was also 24 when he died in an accidental shooting in January 2003. Consuelo’s husband died in 2000.
Bounty up
Now that Mayor Tomas Osmeña has raised the bounty for Aves’ head to P300,000, Consuelo appealed to the public to also help the police by giving information as to the gunman’s whereabouts.
Lermy, meanwhile, said she was grateful for Osmeña’s effort to put up the cash reward because it only stressed his willingness to solve the crime.
Lermy said that when her son died, “half of my body died” because after her annulment with her husband, Lord Stephen became her friend, confidante and shoulder to cry on.
CCPO Director Patrocinio Comendador, in a separate interview, said arresting Aves has been one of his priorities.
“We are up to the challenge. Every bit of information we receive, we followup. There are vital information that we have been receiving but it is too premature to disclose. It might jeopardize our manhunt. For all we know, he alters his physical make up to avoid identification,” he said. (JST)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (November 16, 2007 issue)
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