DAVAO CITY Mayor Rodrigo Duterte said on Sunday he had already directed local authorities to solve the killing of businessman Richard Lim King as soon as possible.
He said in his Sunday television show Gikan sa Masa, Para sa Masa that a task force has already been created and is looking into different angles to determine the motive of the crime and identify the brains behind it.
Members of the Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) has intensified its involvement in the investigation of the case.
King, 57, a Cebu-based businessman, was shot dead inside his office at Vital-C Health Products Inc. building on Sobrecary Street in Barrio Obrero in Davao City last week.
The task group spearheaded by the Davao City Police Office (DCPO) and composed of operatives from the Sta Ana Police Station, Davao Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), and other concerned government agencies, conducted its first case conference at the CIDG 11 office on Thursday morning for their tasking.
Part of the SITG's task is to check the closed circuit television (CCTV) camera; profiling of the victim, including his businesses within and outside Davao City and who are his business associates; profiling of a suspected gun for hire personalities; digital forensic concerns; and preparation of the documents.
"Daghan angulo na amo pang ginatanaw. Naa siya’y [King] business na siya ra nakahibalo unya iyang pamilya wala nasayod. Naa pud na siya'y mga [business] partners na wala nakaila iyang pamilya, mga diskarte niya na wala kabalo iyang pamilya," Duterte said.
He said Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama already contacted him about the case. He added that there is also a separate investigation being conducted by authorities in Cebu.
King was a chair and chief executive officer of J. King & Sons Co. Inc., developer of Crown Regency, Club Ultima and the City Suites Ramos Tower. He was also the founder and Director of Boracay Multiple Properties Inc.
A source, who refused to be named for security reason, said authorities have already opened the inbox of the cellular phone of the victim, which contains several messages. However, the authorities refused to go into details pending investigation.
Sta. Ana police chief Royina M. Garma earlier said authorities have a cartographic sketch of the gunman, who is described to be around 5’5” tall, medium built and boney face, who fled on board a black XRM 125 motorcycle driven by a man wearing black helmet, red and white t-shirt and long maong pants.
Duterte earlier offered a cash reward for information regarding the killer of the businessman. From P200,000 originally offered by the family to P500,000. Though it was not yet clear where the mayor will be getting the P300,000 as additional reward to the P200,000 award money raised by the King's family.