Public urged to help identify the killers

Police have called on the public to help identify the assailant of the moneylender who was slain together with her secretary last Saturday inside their office along T. Padilla Extension, barangay Tejero, and to establish the identity of the owner of mobile phone number 09194238110.

Supt. Melvin Gayotin, director of the Cebu City Police Office, yesterday said that after the follow-up investigation conducted by the Homicide Police, it was revealed that prior to the incident, three persons bought mobile phone loads at a loading station near the lending firm.

He said they already cleared the lady-owners of two numbers they had dialed. When they tried to verify the identity of the owner of mobile phone number 09194238110, the number could not be contacted anymore.

Hence, they are calling on the public for any information that might lead to the owner. "We just want to know who owns this number. For any information, you may call police text hotline 09214931616."

Gayotin admitted they find it hard to identify the assailant, but that so far, they already have a witness and that they aren't discounting the possibility that the killer could have been a member of the PNP.

Meanwhile, Homicide Section chief P/Insp. Erlando Metante said they sent a subpoena to two Talisay City policemen who immediately showed up at their office yesterday, but were later on cleared by the witness.

Metante said there would be another policeman who will be coming to their office, as well as four others suspected to have involvement in the incident.

Metante said policemen who share family name and have strong resemblance to that of the assailant will be included in the police lineup to be held soon, "kon ma-establish na ang apelyido sa assailant, tanang pulis nga susama og apelyido ipa-police lineup, ug kutob niadtong kaanggid og hitsura sa cartographic sketch ipa-apil sa police lineup."

He said that they are still conducting a follow-up investigation "anywhere, basta pulis gihapon nga dismissed, nga reactive, ug naka-utang sa victim." - Norvie S. Misa