Sunday, May 04, 2008 Cops speed up resolution of Mataro slay case
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Provincial Police Director Keith Ernald Singian ordered his men Saturday to resolve the shooting to death of Marcos Mataro -- a known member of "Ang Dating Daan"-- along North Luzon Expressway service road in Barangay Santa Monica, San Simon town in Pampanga last April 27.
Singian disclosed that the information gathered from witnesses gave police investigators "a good lead towards the identification" of the motorcycle-riding assailants who rode in tandem.
"We conducted a series of case conferences for the speedy solution of this case, complementing the creation of the 'Task Force Mataro,' as directed by Police Regional Office 3 Regional Director Errol Pan," Singian said.
The provincial police chief said the police force "is doubling up efforts to effect the apprehension" of the assailants.
Singian said a cartographic sketch of the triggerman, as well as his cohort, is now being prepared by the provincial police in coordination with the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG).
He said that sketches provided by witnesses will help police identify the killers and hasten the filing of murder charges against them.
Singian said the ownership of the motorcycle used in the shooting incident was already established.
"We will dig deeper into the motive of this slay but certainly we will not leave any stone unturned. Along this line, we at the police force are appealing for the community's cooperation, through the giving of salient information as to the whereabouts of suspected criminals so they will be held responsible for the alleged crime they committed," the provincial police chief added.
The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) has condemned the murder of Mataro, a former member of the Iglesia ni Cristo religious sect and TV host of a UNTV "X-Man" program.
NUJP president Jose Torres urged police to investigate the murder of Mataro, the second local mediaman to be killed this year. He said Mataro's murder could be linked to his work as a TV host for the Ang Dating Daan sect.
Mataro was waiting for a Manila-bound bus at 10:30 a.m. last April 27 when two men riding tandem on a motorcycle shot him.
A P1 million reward is being offered to anyone who could help identify or provide information that would lead to the arrest of the suspects.
