Thursday, May 15, 2008 Investigators still looking for witnesses
POLICE are still trying to find witnesses who can help identify the suspects in the ambush in Barangay Kalunasan, Cebu City that left three suspected swindlers dead and a retired member of the Armed Forces of the Philippines injured.
Cebu City Police Office Director Patrocinio Comendador said Homicide Section investigators led by Insp. Mario Monilar have been on the field to find witnesses, but no one has surfaced to shed light on the crime.
“We still do not have concrete identification of the perpetrators. What we have are the possible motives,” Comendador said.
He said that they have not zeroed-in on one angle yet because the city police are still gathering evidence and information about the incident.
Suspected swindlers Medase Castro, Jose Mecias Magno and his wife Evelyn were killed in Sitio Oppra Unit 5 in Kalunasan last Monday afternoon. They were on an uphill road when three unidentified gunmen on board two motorcycles riddled the victims’ Hyundai van with bullets.
The attack happened shortly after Castro and Jose were fetched by Evelyn from the Cebu City Jail.
The driver of the van, retired Master Sgt. Henry Comandao, was injured in the incident. Evelyn rented Comandao’s van to fetch her husband.
Castro and Jose were arrested last week for allegedly duping a 75-year-old pensioner.
Complaints of estafa and corruption of public official were filed against the suspects, who are believed to be members of a big time swindling syndicate called the “Budol-Budol” gang.
Police believe that Evelyn is also a member of the syndicate after they learned that she was arrested in Bais City, Oriental Negros for the same offense.
The family of Jose and Evelyn arrived in Cebu from Cagayan de Oro City yesterday to claim their bodies
They left Cebu aboard a commercial vessel bound for Cagayan de Oro City last night.
The family members, however, were not available for media interviews yesterday. (JST)
