‘Run-in with politicos, fellow cops’ may be behind police official’s slay

THE murder of Lt. Col Joie Pacito Yape Jr. might have something to do with his stint as chief of the Provincial Intelligence Branch of the Cebu Police Provincial Office.

He reportedly had a run-in with a local politician and several police officials.

Yape, an investigator of the Internal Affairs Service in Camp Crame, was shot dead in front of a hotel in Barangay Kamputhaw, Cebu City Thursday, Nov. 21, 2019.

According to Col. Geovanie Maines, officer-in-charge of the Cebu City Police Office, there are other possible motives for the crime.

He refuses to disclose which angle they’re pursuing since their investigation is still ongoing.

Maines said Yape faced several cases when he was still PIB chief. The latter was also responsible for linking some police officials to illegal activities.

However, Maines did not say who the politician or the police officials were.

“Baka may connection din yun. ‘Di lang natin alam (Maybe there’s a connection. We just don’t know). So we are still validating. And marami din atang mga politico na di ko pa masure kung sino ang mga iyon na nakatalo nya nuon (Yape reportedly had run-ins with several politicians, but I’m not sure who they are). That’s why we are going to conduct a deeper investigation,” Maines said.

Police have custody of two pieces of security camera footage on Yape’s murder. However, these need to be enhanced by the Anti-Cybercrime Unit 7. The first thing they want to identify is the plate number of the motorcycle used by his assailants.

Maines said they’re gathering more footage from other security cameras in the area.

Brig. Gen. Valeriano de Leon, Police Regional Office 7 director, refuses to give a timeline for the investigation, but he wants it fast-tracked.

There was a big possibility the gunmen were hired guns because of the way they staged the assassination, de Leon said.

Police have been coordinating with the witness who saw the shooting but not the faces of the gunman or the motorcycle driver.

Yape’s remains were brought to his hometown in Mindanao last Friday, Nov. 22. (AYB, RSR)

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