LOCAL police are set to file charges against three men reportedly involved in a shooting incident inside a fast-food restaurant in Talisay City.
Investigators of the Talisay City police are set to file murder charges against Allan Velos, Ricci Edwin Ramirez and Roger Cal at the Talisay City Prosecutor’s Office today.
The three men were involved in the shooting of German national Henry Haffner, French national Julian Millard and Indian national Cheten Saparaiya inside the McDonald’s restaurant in Barangay Tabunok last week.
Haffner, who lived in Barangay Tisa, Cebu City, is the lone fatality in the incident.
Supt. Reycel Carmelo Dayon, Talisay City police chief, told reporters that following the arrest of the three men, they considered the case as good as solved.
Dayon said that witnesses pointed to Velos as one of the suspects who shot Haffner.
Dayon said they are only awaiting the results of the ballisitc examination on the weapons used, aside from the results of the paraffin test on the suspects as additional evidence for their case.
He thanked the public and other law enforcement groups for assisting them in their investigation.
Task Force
The Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 has formed a task force that will look into the incident.
Chief Supt. Prudencio Tom Bañas, director of Police Regional Office (PRO) 7, said the Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) Haffner was formed considering the crime was a high-profile incident.
The task group will be headed by Senior Supt. Conrado Capa, PRO 7’s deputy regional director for operations and also officer-in-charge of Cebu City Police Office (CCPO).
Members of the task group will be PRO 7’s Regional Special Operations Group (RSOG), Regional Intelligence Unit (RIU), Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) 7, Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO)’s Provincial Intelligence Branch (PIB) and Talisay City Police Station.
The Regional Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Group (Raidsotg) was also included after investigation revealed a drug group may be behind the shooting.
Condemn
Cebu Gov Hilario Davide III condemned the killing of Haffner who, it turned out, was a volunteer in Cebu helping some of the towns.
The governor sees the need for police visibility in areas where there are many foreigners and the need to install more CCTV (close circuit television) cameras in business establishments.
“We condemn the killing as we’re supposed to make these foreigners feel secured here in our place,” said Davide. The governor did not specify which town here in Cebu the German national served.
The Cebu Provincial Board yesterday passed two resolutions: resolution commending the PNP for the swift action in arresting suspects in the shooting incident and extending sincere, deepest sympathy and prayers to Haffner, a relief volunteer when Cebu and Bohol were hit by earthquake and during relief operations after typhoon Yolanda.
Talisay City requires CCTV cameras in business establishments, said Vice Mayor Romeo Villarant. However, most of them do not record quality images, said Councilor Danny Caballero.