NBI has witnesses’ affidavits,  police’s sketches of suspects

The National Bureau of Investigation already has the affidavits of witnesses to the killing of businessman Reinerio Arrogante III in Daanbantayan, and got from the police the artist’s sketch of the killer.

NBI regional director Medardo de Lemos said that ballistics results of the slugs recovered from the body of Arrogante also showed that the weapon used in the killing was a .45 caliber pistol, and that the two slugs came from one firearm.

The NBI planned to produce its own artist’s sketch of the gunman, based on the descriptions that may be provided by the victim’s wife and son who were there at the time of the shooting. The NBI sketch will be compared with that of the police’s, said de Lemos.

Arrogante was talking to his wife Juliet and son Reinerio IV when attacked by a lone gunman. He sustained five gunshot wounds and died on the spot.

The NBI is now conducting its own investigation of the case, upon the request of the victim’s family through Arrogante’s brother-in-law who went to the NBI the other day for the purpose. Although the NBI investigation is a parallel to that of the PNP, de Lemos said that any assistance from the police is also welcome.

Arrogante, who was a bitter critic of Vice Mayor Maria Luisa Loot and her husband Sr. Supt. Vicente Loot, was shot dead by a still unidentified person at barangay Poblacion in Daanbantayan Sunday morning.

Colleagues of the victim believed that that the killing was politically related but Daanbantayan Mayor Sun Simura dismissed this possible angle for lack of basis. Simura in an earlier interview said Arrogante already lost his bid for councilor in the last elections under the ticket of Augusto Corro, also a defeated opponent of Simura. 

Dodong Itok Corro, a close friend of Arrogante, told The Freeman that the victim revealed to him about death threats. Corro and a friend visited Arrogante in barangay Poblacion a week before the latter was killed.

He said that their conversations with Arrogante made him believed that the killing had political undertones.

Corro hoped that the NBI will also examine the political angle, and he challenged Vice Mayor Loot and her police official-husband to initiate moves for the speedy solution to the killing.

A week before the incident, Arrogante had plans to go on vacation with his family to Australia to join their daughters who have been studying there, said Arsenio Luciano,  barangay captain of Bateria, adding that the victim had also narrated about the threats to his life.

Luciano said Arrogante actively supported him in the conflict of his barangay related to the water problem when the municipal government of Daanbantayan took over the management of the barangay’s water system.

On Monday evening, a group formed the Justice for Gogong Movement asking the authorities to fast track the investigation and brought to justice the killer and the mastermind in the Arrogante killing.

Sonny Luche, spokesman of the Group, said that the formation of the group came out during the gathering of Arrogante’s friends in Cebu City. Most of those who attended the gathering were professionals, retired government officials, businessmen, and representatives of civic groups and the youths. — Fred P. Languido and Jose P. Sollano/RAE