Friday, May 30, 2008 Cops search for bag in murder case
LAPU-Lapu City policemen are still searching for a black bag containing things that they hope will shed light on the killing of Fire Officer III Pricillano Gingoyon Jr.
The bag was allegedly taken from the crime scene by Elmo Cacha. Elmo is the brother of Ariel, who was with Gingoyon when he was attacked on Maximo Patalinjug Ave. in Lapu-Lapu City.
Lapu-Lapu City Police Office Acting Director Louie Oppus said the bag is vital to their investigation because its contents might give police an idea why Gingoyon was killed.
Oppus said they are considering filing a case against Elmo for obstruction of justice and destruction of evidence.
“To do justice to Gingoyon, we are trying our very best to establish the motive of the killing,” Oppus told Sun.Star Cebu.
Yesterday, Victor Rey Gingoyon, a cousin of the victim, reported his cousin’s wallet as missing. Victor Rey told radio dyLA that he hoped the police will include the missing wallet in the investigation.
Victor Rey said the wallet contained not less than P10,000 cash, ATM cards and gun licenses.
Oppus promised to check with policemen who responded to the shooting, including the Special Weapons and Tactics members who brought Gingoyon to the Mactan Doctors’ Hospital, where he died.
Oppus also asked Victor Rey to file a formal complaint and submit an itemized list of the things that are missing.
Last May 23, Gingoyon was driving his Pajero, with Ariel “Paner” Cacha, on his way home to Barangay Basak when two men on a motorcycle attacked him.
Gingoyon, a fire officer, was detailed to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) 7 since March last year.
Cacha was grazed by bullets during the attack. He tried to chase the motorcycle on foot. He later went home to ask for his brother Elmo’s help.
Elmo reportedly went to the vehicle and there he turned over a baby Armalite and a .45 gun to SPO1 Dale Cincoflores.
But Elmo, Oppus said, took the black bag in the vehicle and did not turn it over to police.
When police later opened Gingoyon’s Pajero, they recovered four more guns inside and assorted rounds of ammunition. It was still uncertain until yesterday whether the guns were licensed.
Victor Rey insisted they were, telling dyLA that some of the guns were issued by the government. He said the licenses were in his cousin’s missing wallet.
Oppus thanked Gingoyon’s wife yesterday for cooperating with police in the filing of a murder charge against Romulo Deo Soreño and Michael Baclohan, the alleged gunman and motorcycle driver. The two tested positive of gunpowder burns, indicating that they recently fired guns. (OCP)
