Lomibao probes Tsinoy’s death

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Arturo Lomibao ordered yesterday an immediate investigation into the reported kidnap-slaying of the son of a prominent Chinese-Filipino businessman last week.

Lomibao issued the order to Deputy Director General Oscar Calderon, chief of the Police Anti-Crime and Emergency Response (PACER), to verify reports on the killing of Oliver Ong-Dy, who was abducted in Muntinlupa City last Aug. 14.

"We are still in the process of checking out the report," Lomibao told reporters yesterday.

Text messages were circulating that the father of the victim, Manuel Dy, a ranking official of the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Association in the Philippines, personally sought President Arroyo’s help in seeking justice for the death of his son.

"The father wrote to a Chinese newspaper, which published the story," part of he text message read.

The story was published in the Chinese newspapers United Daily News and World News.

Without going into details on the reported kidnap-slaying, Lomibao cleared the President on the allegations of a cover-up.

"From what we gathered, this is disinformation. The President has nothing to do with this disinformation," Lomibao added.

Calderon, however, could not be reached for comment.

The Muntinlupa City police, on the other hand, declared it was already closing in on the killers of Dy.

The 35-year-old Dy was found dead on Olympus street at the Camella E-2 Subdivision in Barangay Putatan with multiple stab wounds on his body.

Police said the murder weapon, a screwdriver, was found at the crime scene.

Investigator Senior Police Officer 2 Cristito Veluz said the killers initially knocked Dy over the head with a rock before stabbing him.

He said the killers sped off with their victim’s Chevrolet, with license plates XWL-583, and other belongings.

"We are pursuing a strong lead. We cannot disclose any information at this point so as not to affect our operations but we’re sure that the killers are still around," Veluz said.

Dy was last seen two days earlier, leaving his home and driving his car.

The family told police that Dy even sent a text message informing them that he spent the night with friends. It was the family’s last contact with the victim.

The Dys initially feared that it was a kidnap case. But the police discounted the possibility because there was no ransom demand.

"We are eyeing several possible motives for the killing. But obviously, the suspects aren’t merely murderers, but robbers as well," Veluz said. — Cecille Suerte-Felipe, Edu Punay