Robbery suspect eyed as killer of Israeli

CEBU, Philippines - Police are eyeing a robbery suspect as the one behind the death of 75-year-old Israeli Max Efergan.

Cebu City Police Director Melvin Ramon Buenafe disclosed they now have the sketch of the suspect who is currently at large.

He said the male suspect, who is not a resident of Cebu, used to be one of those who visited the victim at the Hallmark Hotel. As to whether the two were friends remain to be ascertained. The same man was also seen within the premises of the Hallmark Hotel last Monday, the day the victim was seen last.

“Murag nag-observe siya. It came out during our interview, investigation, and thorough checking of records. Atong gipa-verify, naka-eskapo na,” Buenafe told reporters yesterday. He said it appears that the motive was robbery.

Buenafe said circumstantial evidence points to the man as the main suspect of the crime.

Nevertheless, Buenafe said they are not yet excluding some of the hotel staff and the victim’s friend, Katz Nathan, 63, also an Israeli, in their investigation. They will be subjected to a lie detector test.

“We are not saying that cleared na ang staff kay continuous pa ang investigation. We like this to be thorough so that makaingon ta that we are sure. Magpa-lie detector test pa ta sa selected persons para masiguro,” Buenafe said.

“So kani sila ginaapil pa as possible suspects kay pwede di sila suspek pero naa silay nahibaw-an that’s why we are going to subject to some more test,” he said.

Buenafe said, however, that they cannot ascertain, based on the hotel’s records, if the suspect has frequently visited the hotel.

“Kay ang tawo man gud mag-check-in especially in small hotels like this one pwede usob-usobon ang identity,” Buenafe said, adding that hotels and other establishments should as much as possible install security cameras.

Buenafe said the motive was clearly robbery.

“He was wearing jewelry and naa siya’y items like cellphone, laptop. Selective ang pagkuha (sa suspek) sa items kay ang uban items naa pa diha sa kwarto,” Buenafe said.

The CCPO refused to say more so as not to pre-empt the investigation.

Efergan, divorced and a citizen of Morocco, Israel, was found dead inside his room at the said downtown hotel. His body, which was wrapped in a blanket, was recovered inside his bed, already in state of decomposition.

Some parts of the body will be submitted to an examination at the Camp Crame, as police could not yet determine the cause of the victim’s death as no single wound was found on the body.   - (THE FREEMAN)