Police closing in on killer

CEBU, Philippines - After facing a blank wall, the police in Naga City now have clues that may lead them to the man who killed last Friday night the husband of the chief of barangay Cantao-an.

Yesterday, the police in the city started looking for the killer of Florante Godoy, 40, following the completion of cartographic sketches rendered by National Bureau of Investigation agents with the help of witnesses.

City Mayor Valdemar Chiong said Supt. Henry Biñas has assured him that the murder case would be solved before he reports back to the Talisay City police station within this month.

Biñas was tempo-rarily designated as officer-in-charge of the police station for the duration of the election period, a measure taken by the Provincial Police Office in a bid to maintain neutrality in the police force.

He said the hitman stands about 5’4” to 5’5”, fair in complexion and was not wearing a mask when he shot Godoy with a .45 caliber pistol.

Biñas said the police suspect politics was the reason for the killing.

He said the police had received reports claiming that Florante Godoy bullied someone and even pointed a gun at him days before Election Day.

“With the help of witnesses, we hope to arrest the one responsible for the crime,” Biñas said.

Florante was taken to the South General Hospital located in Naga City but expired a few hours later.

Godoy, husband of Cantao-an chief Fe Godoy, was shot at by three men on a motorcycle while driving the family's Ford Everest on their way home after attending the victory party of Chiong's group at the city hall that night.

A barangay tanod who was with the couple that night had said that the one between two men on the motorcycle was the one who shot Godoy, hitting him in the left arm, the bullet going through the left part of his body, killing him.

Authorities believe that the murder could be attributed to a personal grudge.

For his part, however, Chiong said it could be politically-motivated. Fe said her husband had quarreled with some people during the election period. THE FREEMAN