Police: Killing of Fil-Chinese bizman may be drug-related

IS SLAIN Filipino-Chinese businessman Alex Yao involved in illegal drugs?

This question surfaced as the top official of the Philippine National Police in Western Visayas revealed that illegal drugs is one the three angles they are exploring behind Yao’s death.

Chief Superintendent John Bulalacao, regional director of Police Regional Office- Western Visayas based in Iloilo City, confirmed in a phone interview with SunStar Bacolod that they have received reports regarding Yao’s alleged inclusion in the previous drug’s list of President Rodrigo Duterte as a high-value target.

“I have yet to see the actual list,” he said.

“He (Yao) was allegedly involved in illegal drugs but I don't know how and to what extent,” Bulalacao said.

While the police are still validating if Yao was really a part of the drug’s list in the regional and city level, Bulalacao heard that Yao was allegedly affiliated with Cebuano businessman Peter Lim who was earlier named a drug lord by Duterte in 2016.

Though he is not sure about it. “That is one angle which the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) must focused on,” he said.

An alleged rival drug syndicate may possibly be behind the attack of Yao, he said.

“Yao may have been liquidated because of rivalry. We have yet to gather evidence to support such claims, but we are looking into it,” Bulalacao added.

Aside from illegal drugs, the regional headquarters is also exploring other angles such as Yao’s businesses and his personal life.

“We are also checking if he had problems on his businesses which may have triggered the crime,” he added.

Yao owned a lending and currency exchange firms, and co-owned several lending companies in Bacolod City and other parts of Negros Occidental.

He was also a cement distributor, supplying to various construction firms in the province and other parts of the country.

Yao and his wife, Ma. Theresa, were about to leave the compound of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Shrine (Redemptorist Church) on the night of February 19 after attending a prayer meeting when an unidentified gunman wearing a black jacket and a bonnet attacked them.

The assailant and his unidentified companion fled on board a motorcycle.

Yao succumbed to three gunshot wounds on his hands, body, and chest passing through his lungs. He will be subjected for autopsy.

His wife, who was seated at the front passenger seat was also hit on her left hand and was confined at a private hospital. She underwent a surgery on Wednesday, February 20.

Recovered from the scene were three fired bullets and two deformed slugs of .45 caliber.

Police have yet to determine if the bullets used were special as initially claimed by some individuals close to the victim.

The recovered bullets were submitted to the Crime Laboratory for ballistic examination.

Not in the list?

Despite Bulalacao’s statement, Senior Inspector Leo Estopa, head of Police Station 2, said Yao was not a part of the drug’s list in his area of jurisdiction.

“We cannot make speculations as of now while we continue to determine the real motive,” Estopa said, adding that they are also not ruling out the possibility that the suspects could possibly be gun-for-hires based on how the crime was carried out.

Though, the police have no lead yet on the identities of the suspects.

The Police Station 2 head said the window on the driver's seat has three bullet holes.

He also said the attack was really planned and they are having difficulty identifying the perpetrators and establishing the motive.

When asked if policemen were possibly behind the killing, Estopa said they have not received any report.

“It will really take time but we are doing our part to immediately solve the case,” he added.

Estopa said the two minors who had close encounter with the gunman are also part of the investigation.

One of the minors was near Yao's vehicle at the parking lot to get “alms” when he was pushed by the gunman who came closer to the car and shot the couple. The children were unharmed.

They have not identified the perpetrators but minors can testify for the incident through the guidance of their parents, he said.

Police have also requested the church officials for the viewing of the closed-circuit television camera footage installed outside the church to help them in their investigation.

Estopa said they have also tried reaching out to the victim’s family but they could not yet provide all the details which can be used for the investigation. They might still be in shocked.

He said Yao's wife also do not have an idea if her husband has previous threats.

Estopa further said he is open if the family seeks help with other law enforcement units to hasten the investigation as he wants the immediate solution of the case.

Task group

For his part, Senior Superintendent Henry Biñas, officer-in-charge of BCPO, said a Special Investigation Task Group will soon be created when he returns from Iloilo City for a conference.

Biñas also ordered the personnel of Police Station 2 to focus on the investigation for immediate solution of the case.

“Alarming”

As this developed, Bacolod City Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran said the attack on Yao and his wife is “alarming.”

Familiaran said the incident has caused fear to the public, especially to the people who were inside the church during the incident.

“It caused fear not only to the churchgoers in the area, but also to all the Bacoleños in the 61 barangays,” he said.

He added that this year, there were several unsolved cases in Bacolod City, especially the shooting incidents involving riding-in-tandem suspects and it has become alarming.

In previous months, the village chief of Barangay 16 and a lawyer in Bacolod were also killed by unidentified assailants while Councilor Ricardo Tan and his wife were also injured in an ambush in Barangay Alangilan.

Familiaran said this will be a big challenge to the BCPO to solve the shooting incidents.

“They should double their efforts to identify and arrest the suspects. The crime solution is very important here,” he said.

Familiaran also urged the public to be vigilant and cooperate with the authorities by reporting the presence of suspicious persons to the nearest police station.

Resolution

Meanwhile, the Bacolod City Council approved a resolution condemning the killing of Yao and calling the BCPO to do all efforts to immediately solve the crime.

The resolution, authored by Councilor Ann Marie Palermo, was approved during the regular session on Wednesday.

Palermo said the BCPO should exert their efforts to solve and bring into justice the perpetrators and to see to it that this will be the last to happen.

The council also urged the BCPO to deploy police officers to all churches and intensify their visibility patrol in various areas.

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