P20 M to kill Cebu hotelier? Woman eyed

MANILA, Philippines - Police have received information that a hired gun was paid P20 million to kill hotelier Richard King last June 12.

Davao City police chief Senior Superintendent Vicente Danao Jr. said a businesswoman might have paid the hit man.

She could have contacted Senior Superintendent Leopoldo Felonia to allegedly look for a killer, Danao added.

Speaking to reporters at Camp Crame, Davao regional police director Chief Superintendent Wendy Rosario said the three arrested suspects have claimed that a police officer gave them P30,000 with instructions to kill King.

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

Rosario said police investigators are looking into business, personal and other possible motives.

King was reportedly losing money in one of his businesses, a possible link to the murder, he added.

Investigators are determining the motive for the killing, Rosario said.

Police have charged with murder Felonia and three others implicated in the killing.

Others charged are alleged gunman Dave Paul Molina Labang; brothers Rommel and Rodel dela Cerna, the suspected lookout and the driver of the getaway motorcycle.

However, Rosario said they don’t have concrete evidence to pin down Felonia, only the statements of Labang and the Dela Cerna brothers.

“We will leave it to the appreciation of the prosecutor’s office,” he said.

“But we believe we have an airtight case against the suspects. 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.”

Labang confessed to killing King for P30,000 allegedly on orders of Felonia.

However, Felonia denied any hand in the murder.

He surrendered to Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte after Labang implicated him in the killing.

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

Labang said Felonia made them believe that King was involved in the illegal drug trade.

He did not know who King was until the next day when his death was reported in the media, he added.