Lawyer: "I know the killers"

CEBU, Philippines - The Talisay City police already have a composite sketch of one of the killers, who ambushed the wife of Atty. Raul Sesbreño and her two companions at corner Rabaya St., Cansojong last Wednesday.

The lawyer, in a television interview over TV Patrol Central Visayas said that he knows who is behind the killings, but would not name names yet.

The sketch was based on the description given by one of the three witnesses.

Supt. Eddie Recamara, Talisay City chief, said the hired killers were not from their city since they did not bother to cover their faces. They are now coordinating with the different intelligence units in Cebu province.

The fatalities were identified as Virginia Sesbreño, 65; Joshua Young, 30; and Soledad Epanto, 50.

The police believe that the target of the killers was the lawyer, but he was not in the vehicle during the incident.

Motive

The police are looking into the ongoing demolition in Barangays Lawaan 1, 2 and 3 as the motive of the crime and have invited three group leaders, who were against the demolition.

They are not, however, discounting the possibility that there could be another motive for the crime as Atty. Sesbreño has filed cases against other persons.

“Daghan man gud ni siya og nakontra dili lang sa demolition nga kaso,” Recamara said.

The Sesbreño couple owns parcels of land in the three barangays and the settlers have been ordered by the court to vacate the area.

Young, of Lapu-Lapu City was the couple’s friend and Epanto, of Barangay Lawaan was the caretaker of the Sesbreños.

The victims just came from the demolition site and were heading to Inayawan, Cebu City.

Sheriff Constancio Alimurung served the writ of demolition to 43 families, whose houses and structures were on lot No. 3255-A and lot 1 located at Lawaan III, Talisay City owned by Sesbreño.

It was Clerk of Court Grace Fernandez of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 18 who issued the writ of demolition directing Alimurung to implement it after presiding Judge Gilbert Moises ruled on the matter.

Sesbreño was formerly the lawyer of the deceased original landowners. The land came to his possession as these were used by his clients to pay his attorney’s fee.

Mastermind

Sesbreño said that he can pinpoint the mastermind.

He told Leo Lastimosa, anchor of TV Patrol Central Visayas, that before the incident somebody told him that a P100,000 was put up for his head.

Sesbreño said that he will only divulge the information to the authorities, but would not present it to the police as he might be misinterpreted as meddling in the investigation.

He would do so when he will be summoned by the police.

Give help

Rep. Eduardo Gullas of the 1st District of Cebu where Talisay City is part of, called Mayor Socrates Fernandez asking him to intervene in the rift between Sesbreño and the residents affected by the demolition.

“I told him to do moto propio, without waiting for any of the parties to ask for his help, to see what the government can do with their issue,” the congressman said.

Court order

Sesbreño sought the help of the court after the occupants of the lots returned to the area despite their eviction. Earlier, Judge Douglas Marigomen of RTC Branch 5 had already decided in favor of Sesbreño and directed defendants to vacate the lot.

Defendants filed a motion for inhibition asking Marigomen to inhibit citing “patent partiality in favor of the plaintiff.”

The case was re-raffled to Moises.

Security

Meanwhile, one of the children of Atty. Sesbreño asked for police security from Sr. Supt. Patrocinio Comendador, director of the Cebu Provincial Police Office.

Comendador said he already detailed policemen at the Cosmopolitan Funeral Homes in Nivel Hills, Lahug where the bodies of the victims now lie. — with Liv Campo and Mylen Manto/NLQ (FREEMAN)