TWO of the suspects accused of killing the younger brother of Negros Oriental town mayor were shot dead after being released from prison.
The fatalities were identified as Tim Moerch, 45, a Danish national who resided in West Balabag, Valencia, Negros Oriental, and his girlfriend Maila Ozoa Cagas, who hailed from Barangay Cadawinonan, Dumaguete City.
Police Regional Office-Central Visayas (PRO 7) Director Brigadier General Jerry Bearis ordered Negros Oriental Police Chief Colonel Jonathan Pineda to conduct a thorough investigation on the incident.
The couple and John Edward Remollo, a resident of Lalaan, San Jose town, Negros Oriental, were detained in a holding cell at the Valencia Police Station after being implicated in the murder of Don Paulo Teves, the younger brother of Valencia Mayor Edgar Teves.
Due to lack of evidence, the provincial prosecutor ordered their release.
But Moerch and Cagas were waylaid by unidentified gunman while on their way home.
According to Lieutenant Colonel Gerard Ace Pelare, spokesperson of General Bearis, they already ordered Pineda to immediately conduct an investigation to resolve the case.
“Naa na silay mga team of investigators nga nag tan-aw. We are seriously looking at the incident. Timing sad nga naa si RD (Bearis) didto, so he already gave instruction to PD NOPO (Provincial Director of Negros Oriental Police Office) to dig deeper and work on how to solve this recent shooting incident,” Pelare said.
The Valencia police have already identified persons of interest but they withheld their identities while the inquiry is ongoing.
Pelare said the investigators are considering all angles, including retaliation.
“That’s the primary angle that we are looking at, because as you know, ang nahitabo kato sila gi-arrest sa police as suspects of a previous shooting incident, unya na release sila for further investigation and then, pag-gawas nila, allegedly gipusil sila, so there is a big possibility nga this is a case of retaliation,” Pelare added.
The police are now looking for witnesses who could shed light on the incident, as well as gathering evidence from the crime scene.
According to the police, Teves was last seen with the suspects in Barangay West Balabag.
His body was found wrapped in a plastic bag along a street in Barangay Calayugan at past 8 a.m. last Monday. (AYB/TPT)