PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) Chief Guillermo Eleazar on Wednesday, July 21, 2021, ordered the Davao Police Regional Office (PRO-11) to conduct a thorough investigation into the killing of a lawyer and her husband in Davao City.

Lawyer Hilda Mahinay-Sapie and her husband Muhaimen Mohammad Sapie, who hosted a radio program where they give free legal advice, were killed by a sniper in front of their residence on July 14.

“Nagbigay na ako ng kautusan sa regional director ng PRO-11, Police Brigadier General Filmore Escobal, na tutukan ang kasong ito at patuloy akong bigyan ng updates sa progreso ng imbestigasyon,” Eleazar said in a statement.

“Sa unang tingin pa lang, makikita na planado ang insidenteng ito kaya ang tinututukan natin ngayon ay ang mga posibleng motibo at pagkakakilanlan ng mga taong may kinalaman sa pagpaplano sa krimeng ito,” he added.

Police said the couple had just finished their radio program when they were killed.

Among the possible motives that the police are investigating are the land dispute cases that the couple had handled.

Police have obtained a CCTV footage of the killing. (Third Anne Peralta-Malonzo / SunStar Philippines)