Witness identifies killer of couple

Homicide Section chief Mario Monilar yesterday said a witness has already positively identified the assailant who shot dead the Flores couple along Magallanes Street last November 6.

Monilar said, Gloria Dalawampu the legal counsel of the Flores family, also coordinated with them and even shared leads.

Monilar said the investigation is getting toward the "personal grudge angle" but stressed that they are not zeroing in on that yet as they are still gathering additional details.

He said the relatives of the victims asked them to hold off filing charges against the assailant until after they are done with the ceremonies concerning the deaths.

Past 8 p.m. last November 6 Zacarias Flores, his wife Esterlita and their driver Giovannie Renquezo got on a white Pajero on their way to their house in Tuyan, Naga town, from their store in barangay Ermita.

As the driver started the engine, the assailant, who was already waiting nearby with a companion, disembarked from a motorcycle and approached the car.

The assailant shot Renquezo first before going to the passenger's side where he shot Zacarias and finally to the back to kill Esterlita.

Renquezo was shot thrice in the chest, Zacarias was shot once in the head and twice in the chest, Esterlita was shot in the right side of her torso.

They were declared dead on arrival at the Cebu City Medical Center.

Earlier police said aside from the personal grudge angle they are also considering the possibility that the killing had something to do with a drug deal gone sour because of the record of the couple.

They were part of the drug expose made by south district Rep. Antonio Cuenco in 1997 when he used to head the House of Representative Committee on Dangerous Drugs.

Latest reports revealed that they were still involved in the illegal drug trade in barangay Ermita as Level 2 pushers who can dispose of at least 200 grams to a kilo of shabu weekly. - Ryan P. Borinaga