Police probe shows P20M paid to kill King

CEBU, Philippines - The police have received information that P20 million was paid for the death of hotelier Richard King, who was gunned down last June 12.

Davao City Police Chief Vicente Danao Jr. said a businesswoman might have paid the hitman and could have contacted Senior Superintendent Leopoldo Felonia to look for a killer.

Felonia, head of the Police Regional Intelligence Office in Region 11, was charged with murder yesterday along with confessed gunman Paul Dave Labang and brothers Romel and Rodel Dela Cerna.

Romel allegedly acted as driver of the getaway motorcycle while Rodel served as lookout. Labang has tagged Felonia as the one who ordered the hit on King, as the businessman was reportedly a druglord.

Speaking to reporters in Camp Crame yesterday, Davao Region Police Director Wendy Rosario said Labang and the Dela Cernas claimed that a police officer gave them P30,000 with instructions to kill King.

“But they did not know where the money came from,” Rosario said. “Let us remember they are a mere gunman and lookout.”

Rosario said police investigators are looking into business, personal, and other possible motives on the killing of King, who was reportedly losing money in one of his businesses, which is a possible link to the murder.

Rosario said that they are still determining the motive for the killing.  This early, he admitted that “other than the confession of Labang, we don’t have concrete evidence to link Felonia to the murder of King.”

“All we have is testimony of the self-confessed gunman and which was corroborated by the Dela Cerna brothers,” Rosario said.

“We will leave it to the appreciation of the prosecutor’s office…. But we believe we have an airtight case against the suspects,” he added.

In a separate interview, however, Danao revealed that aside from Labang identifying Felonia as the one who ordered King killed, they have discovered proof that Felonia knew at least one of the other suspects.

The Davao City police chief said a month ago, Felonia reportedly issued a memorandum receipt to Rommel’s firearm, which made them suspect that Felonia and dela Cerna knew each other.

“That is one piece of evidence proving that the two might really know each other,” Danao in a telephone interview.

Danao said what Felonia did was a rules violation since police officials are allowed to do so.

Rommel, Rodel and Labang were subjected to inquest proceedings before the Davao City Prosecutor’s Office yesterday, while Felonia submitted himself to the custody of the National Bureau of Investigation.

Felonia has denied any hand in the murder, which was why he surrendered to Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte after learning that Labang implicated him in the killing.

Felonia was relieved last Monday of his post as chief of the Regional Intelligence Unit XI.

Labang had said Felonia made them believe that King was involved in the illegal drug trade, adding that he did not know who King was until the media reported the businessman’s death the next day.

Meanwhile, Labang’s relatives have sought the assistance of Davao City police after allegedly being harassed and receiving threats from an unknown group.

This, as the NBI-7 said that Labang has admitted as the one who shot King dead, it is not that yet sure if he, Romel, Rodel, and Felonia were really the only ones behind the crime.

NBI-7 Director Max Salvador said they are in close coordination with their Davao City counterparts in conducting an in-depth investigation into the incident.

He said there is still information relayed to them by NBI-Davao that they are verifying here in Cebu they are not yet fully sure that they have the right suspects.

Salvador, however, clarified that NBI-Davao is the one handling the investigation requested by King’s family.

He said NBI-Davao is looking into all possible angles of the incident after Felonia sought their assistance.

Danao, too, said they would continue investigating into the incident because they believe that aside from Felonia, there is somebody else who is truly the mastermind of all.

He said they are still checking for other personalities who may also be behind King’s death.

He confirmed that Labang’s family and relatives have sought their help after receiving threats and being harassed by armed persons.

Labang’s mother-in-law told GMA 5 Davao that they found it difficult to send the children to school because of armed men regularly seen lurking outside their homes.

Another relative said an unidentified man also asked if the family already has a lawyer and if Labang’s brother was around.

Danao said they immediately responded to the call for help by deploying personnel where the family lives.

He said it is their duty to respond to all calls for assistance and warned that his office would not tolerate anyone who harasses Labang’s family.

He also issued a strongly-worded statement against the persons harassing Labang’s family and those of the other suspects, saying he would not hesitate to fire if he has to.

“Kaning nagasunod-sunod sa pamilya ni Labang og naga-threat(en), ‘pag magpang-abot kita patay gyod mo, ilabina kining nagasunod sunod nga armado, bantay lang gyod mo sa ako (Those who tail Labang’s family, especially these armed men, you would die once our paths cross. Be warned.),” Danao said. —With Philippine Star News Service/RHM (FREEMAN)