THE Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) is facing difficulty in identifying the perpetrators behind the killing of Senior Police Officer 4 Oscar Exaltado in Barangay Singcang- Airport, Bacolod City over the weekend.

Chief Inspector Ariel Pico, public information officer of BCPO, said they have no lead yet on the identities of the assailants, whom they claimed to be not less than six armed men.

Pico said the incident happened on weekend wherein there were only a few people in the area where the crime was committed.

It was also well-planned, that’s why the perpetrators knew the in and out of the area, he added.

He also said they do not discount the possibility that the perpetrators may be gun-for-hire because of the execution of the crime.

It was not an ordinary crime, he added.

He said there were some witnesses in the area who saw the incident but were not able to identify the gunmen.

Even the alleged sports utility vehicle and the two motorcycles used by the suspects were not even covered by the closed-circuit television camera installed nearby, he said.

We need more substantial evidence to solve the case, he said.

On January 25, Exaltado was on his way to work when he was ambushed by motorcycle-riding assailants.

The victim, deputy chief of Police Station 6, succumbed to multiple gunshot wounds to his head and body.

Police are initially looking into his alleged drug link following derogatory reports about him on illegal drugs, which the authorities are still validating.

Police are considering all possible angles, including his previous work as a warrant server, and in his personal life.

Pico said a Special Investigation Task Group Exaltado was already formed to focus probing the incident.

He said they are waiting for the autopsy result to determine the number of gunshot wounds and the ballistic examination of the recovered slugs and bullets of unknown firearms.

They are also waiting for the results of the paraffin test to determine if he was able to retaliate using his service firearm, which was not recovered from the scene, and allegedly used to kill him.

For his part, Senior Superintendent Henry Biñas, officer-in-charge of BCPO, said they will check the background of Exaltado to track down his activities that can help them identify the perpetrators or establish the motive of the killing.

Meanwhile, the Philippine flag at the BCPO headquarters flies at half-mast following the death of Exaltado.