Police looking at vendetta angle in Comelec slays

Police are looking at the angle that the killing of Commission on Elections (Comelec) law department chief Wynne Asdala and his predecessor, Alioden Dalaig, could be related and the motive for the killings is vendetta.

Comelec Chairman Jose Melo called yesterday on the police to “leave no stone unturned” in finding Asdala’s killer and bringing him to justice.

However, Chief Inspector Dominador Arevalo Jr., Manila police homicide chief, said Comelec employees are “lukewarm” in their cooperation with police investigators.

“The employees are reluctant to share all what they know about Attorney Asdala, possibly out of fear,” he said.

“I can sense that they are trying to hide something from the police. We could not avail of their 100 percent cooperation.”

Witnesses failed to identify the suspects as the gunman had a bonnet on, while the driver of the getaway motorcycle was wearing a helmet.

Arevalo and his men have started to gather information at the Comelec main office regarding cases handled by the law department, which could be linked to the killing of Asdala and Dalaig.

Police are looking at vendetta as motive since Asdala had handled sensitive election-related cases which may have earned the ire of the losing litigants, he added.

Investigators said they will start collecting information on the killing of Dalaig, which might be connected to the murder of Asdala.

Commissioner Romeo Brawner said the Comelec will coordinate closely with the police to ensure that justice is given to Asdala.

The poll body is now conducting an inventory of the cases handled by Asdala as the killing might be “work-related,” he added.

Dalaig was shot dead on the night of Nov. 10 as he was crossing the street on his way to a casino at the Hyatt Hotel in Ermita, Manila.

Dalaig’s murder remains unsolved.

Arevalo has released a photograph from video footage taken from a close circuit television camera of the Hyatt Hotel of a man  constantly following Dalaig before he was killed.

The man was shown in the video pretending to play one of the slot machines at the casino while watching Dalaig from a distance.

The footage also showed that Dalaig left the casino at 6:38 p.m. and was followed by the same man while talking on his cellular phone.

“This man could be the key to the solution of the killings of Dalaig and presumably Asdala,” Arevalo said. “The police will give a reward to anybody who can provide information on the whereabouts of this man.”

Any information on the mystery man may be relayed to the Manila police homicide section at telephone numbers 524-4311, Arevalo added.

“We will treat all information with confidentiality and provide security to the informant,” he said.

Asdala, 55, was walking back with a woman companion to the Comelec main office in Intramuros, Manila after having lunch when two men riding in tandem on a motorcycle blocked their path at the corner of Andres Soriano (Aduana) and Cabildo streets near the Manila Cathedral in Intramuros. Asdala was shot but his female companion was unharmed.

One of the suspects pulled out a gun and shot Asdala at close range hitting him on the chest., but spared Comelec  stenographer Rena Ballo.

The suspects fled on board a black motorcycle without license plates toward  Port Area. – Nestor Etolle, Sheila Crisostomo