‘Hasten Malate killings probe’

Western Police District director Chief Superintendent Avelino Razon Jr. ordered yesterday intelligence and investigation units of the Manila Police to fast-track its probe of last Friday’s gruesome killings in Malate.

Razon ordered the swift investigation of the case anticipating mounting complaints from members of the Filipino-Chinese community.

Ordered to conduct a swift and thorough probe were the District Intelligence and Investigation Division, theft and robbery section, homicide section as well as elements of the Ermita police.

Killed in the incident by suspected robbers were Bobby Sy, 36, owner of Up To Date cellular phone store located at the corner of Vasquez and Pedro Gil streets in front of the University of the Philippines Manila campus; and Marie dela Cruz, 33; and Ronnie Figueroa, 36, employees of the Tetra Copy and Business Center, which shares office space with Up To Date.

Homicide prober SPO4 Norberto Obrero said the victims had their hands handcuffed at the back, their faces wrapped in packaging tape and were shot in the head. Sy suffered a gunshot wound in his temple while Dela Cruz and Figueroa were each shot on the forehead.

Police said the suspects took about P100,000 worth of cellular phone call cards and SIM packs. However, probers initially theorized that the suspects, believed to be an acquaintance of Sy, took the items to mislead investigators.

"The gunmen took the cards but the more expensive items, such as cellphone units and accessories were intact," a police prober noted.

There were also no indications that the suspects forced their way in. "The suspects could be known to the victims and could have freely entered the store before it opened," Obrero said.

Dela Cruz and Figueroa usually arrive first to open the store’s main door. Figueroa even went outside of the store at about 7 a.m. to buy cigarettes at a nearby store. Sy was driven to the store by his wife at about 9 a.m.

Police said the robbery and the killings could have taken place between 9 a.m. when Sy arrived at the store and 9:25 a.m. when their handcuffed bodies were discovered.

Members of the SOCO team recovered a .9 mm spent shell and a slug at the crime scene.

"This crime could not have been done by a single suspect. It has to be a group who could be known to the victims that is why their faces were wrapped in tape," Obrero said.

Meanwhile, Razon was quick to deny any links between the Malate killings and the alleged slay try on businessman Tony Tan, 42, owner of the Homeware Plastics company along Tomas Mapua street in Sta. Cruz, Manila.

Tan was critically wounded after he was shot at close range by a still unidentified lone gunman. "The two incidents are not related," Razon said.