The Davao City Police Office (DCPO) announced the creation of Special Investigation Task Group-Castillones (SITG-Castillones) on Thursday, November 23 to investigate further the killing of ex-politician and businessman Giselo Velasco Castillones that transpired outside a fast-food chain in Ladislawa, Buhangin earlier this week.
In its Facebook post, DCPO said that they are conducting a thorough investigation, reviewing CCTV footage from nearby areas including videos from the establishment where the incident happened, and has now employed authorities to hasten the case process.
“Davao City Police Office strongly condemns this act of lawlessness and assures the public that the police force is committed to upholding the law and will not tolerate such heinous crime,” the police office stated.
“With this, the Special Investigation Task Group Castillones has been swiftly launched to accelerate the acquisition of information through a thorough and exhaustive series of investigations,” the statement continued.
As of press writing, Bajada Police Station Commander, Police Major Antonio Luy revealed that the DCPO has now sent members of SITG-Castillones to Cateel, Davao Oriental to conduct an on-ground investigation. shoo
According to the victim’s common-law wife, who was also inside the car during the incident, the former mayor arrived in Davao City days prior to the shooting incident for business-related purposes.
DCPO spokesperson Captain Hazel Tuazon also confirmed that police officials who will be deployed in Cateel are composed of one team from Bajada Police and from other police stations in the city.
“One team ni sila from Bajada and other stations diri sa DCPO. Dili pa ta makaingon until when sila didtoa [Cateel] pero parte na sa atoang SITG-Castillones (They are one team composed of Bajada police and other police from other stations here at DCPO. We cannot say the exact timeline of their stay there [in Cateel] but it is part of our SITG-Castillones),” she stated in an ambush interview during the sendoff ceremony of Davao City Safety and Security Cluster for the Pasko Fiesta on Friday, November 24.
The 67-year-old victim had existing businesses such as sand and gravel and sabong, and was also a former political manager and campaign consultant in their municipality.
These businesses were the basis for conducting the investigation.
The Bajada Police Station has released the profile information of two perpetrators who were possibly hired. DEF