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Friday, October 06, 2006
Probers link Mindanao mayor to engineer's slay
By Ben O. Tesiorna
DAVAO CITY -- Police are checking the possible link of a Maguindanao town mayor, suspected to be involved in the illegal drug trade, in the ambush-slay of a building contractor.
Engineer Luis Francisco Jr., a resident of Doņa Luisa Village in Ecoland, Matina, was killed at Nova Tierra Subdivision in Lanang, Davao City on Wednesday.
Unconfirmed reports reaching Sun.Star revealed that Francisco was the same man whom Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte earlier referred to as the nephew of a friend who has "connections" with the mayor who is believed to be a "drug lord."
Davao City Police Office Director Catalino Cuy said he also received the same report and they are now looking into that angle.
Cuy refused to identify the "mayor" pending investigation.
But he said they are not discounting all other possible motives, like business rivalry and personal grudge.
Francisco was previously arrested for illegal drugs.
Cuy said the victim was however able to avail of the amnesty under the law for pointing to the authorities a "bigger fish" in illegal drug trade.
Reports showed that the family of the victim is blaming business rivalry as the motive behind the killing.
Francisco just arrived on Ipil Street in Nova Tierra Subdivision around 2:50 p.m. Wednesday when he was ambushed by four armed men onboard two motorcycles.
The victim managed to get out of his white Honda Civic, but was chased by the armed men and peppered him with more bullets while already lying on the ground.
The suspects fled the scene bringing along the victim's short firearm.
Authorities recovered 31 empty shells and slugs of a .45 caliber pistol from the crime scene.
Francisco was said to be making an inspection on a house construction project in Nova Tierra.
While Scene of the Crime Operatives (Soco) were doing their investigation, Francisco's wife reportedly arrived and ordered the police to stop their scene investigation.
The victim's wife forcibly took her husband's body from the crime scene while another relative went inside the victim's car and took bundles of cash placed inside the driver's seat.
She locked the victim's car and left the area along with her husband's body.
Authorities could not do anything, but escort the victim's wife to their destination for security purposes.
The wife reportedly said a police investigation is no longer needed since they know who killed her husband.
Meanwhile, a construction laborer identified as Mario Gumba was hit by a stray bullet at his right eyebrow, but was declared out of danger. (Sun.Star Davao/Sunnex)
(October 6, 2006 issue)
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