2 cops, asset charged for moneylender's slay

The Cebu City Police Office finally filed two counts of murder and robbery charges against two policemen assigned to the Fuente police station as well as a police informant in relation to the killing of a moneylender and her secretary last September 9.

After almost four weeks of investigation the Homicide Section led by Insp. Erlando Metante charged SPO1s Mateo Yanson and Elmo Rosales and police informant Troy Diago for the murders of PRH Lending Investments Incorporated owner Pilar Hernandez, 62, and her secretary, Wevina Pancho, 55.

Metante told reporters that Yanson was tagged as the prime suspect in the incident since he was the one who borrowed from Diago last September 8 the gun found to have been used in the crime.

The said Taurus 9mm pistol was reportedly owned by a policewoman, PO1 Eddiely Malata, and was registered with the PNP.

Metante said that Malata asked Diago to sell her gun to a prospective buyer, but the said gun was reportedly borrowed by Yanson from Diago the day before the crime claiming he knew someone interested in buying it.

But after the day Hernandez and Pancho were robbed and killed, Yanson reportedly returned the gun to Diago saying that the prospective buyer had lost interest.

Metante added that the said gun was not immediately turned over by Diago to Malata but to Rosales who kept it for several days and later turned it over to their officials.

After the cross-matching examinations of the shells found at the crime scene, the police said the 9mm gun was the same one used in the incident.

Police also said another clue was discovered by the family members of the victims who were about to transfer furniture out of the PRH office to another location.

One of the office tables reportedly bore writings of the letter "Y", an incomplete letter "A", a letter "S" and two other incomplete letters. Pancho allegedly wrote these letters with her own blood.

Pancho was found by PO2 Jessie Yramis still alive on the floor when he came to their office after the crime. Hernandez was sitting in her office chair bloodied.

According to investigators, Yramis asked Pancho who shot them, Pancho reportedly managed to utter "ansol" or "anson" while she was being brought to the hospital.

With her dying words, the police decided to add the letters written in blood and came up with Yanson's name. - Edwin Ian Melecio/BRP