Suspects in slaying of Sino trader fall

Elements of the Western Police District have solved the grisly murder of a Filipino-Chinese restaurateur in Sta. Cruz, Manila, last November, following the arrest of the alleged mastermind and gunman Friday last week.

According to Benjie Leung, 32, son of the victim Benjamin Leung, 73, WPD operatives arrested the alleged gunman, Eduardo Aparri, at the Amity Restaurant in Sta. Cruz at about 5 a.m last Friday.

At about 6 p.m. that same day, WPD agents, armed with an arrest warrant, nabbed the alleged mastermind, Delio Basilio, at his house in Novaliches, Quezon City.

According to the victim’s son, Aparri confessed to the police that Basilio allegedly promised to pay him P15,000 to rob and kill the elder Leung.

"They thought that my father was carrying the restaurant’s payroll. That is probably the reason why he (Aparri) entered the van after the shooting as if looking for something," said the younger Leung.

The elder Leung was the owner of the popular Wah Sun Cantonese Restaurant located at 747 F. Torres St. where he resided with his sons.

The victim’s two sons previously identified Aparri to the police as the alleged gunman and Basilio as the alleged mastermind.

According to the victim’s sons, Aparri, alias "Bodabil" of Torres Bugallon St. in Tondo, and Basilio, were frequent customers of their restaurant. Basilio was known in the area as a buyer and seller of stolen jewelry.

Shortly after the crime, the WPD arrested Edilberto Aparri, elder brother of Eduardo in his Tondo residence. The elder Aparri reportedly acted as the "lookout" during the incident. He has been charged with murder before the Manila City Prosecutor’s Office.

On the night of the crime, the slain restaurateur was seated in the front passenger’s seat of his Nissan Safari van (TSS-188) parked in front of the restaurant at about 11:45 p.m. when Aparri approached the vehicle dangling a wristwatch.

Police said Aparri tried to trick the victim into opening the van’s door by pretending to sell the watch. When the victim became suspicious and refused, the gunman kicked the van. He later drew a revolver and fired at the van’s window and then at the victim, hitting him once in the chest.

It was at this point that one of the victim’s sons, William, 34, rushed out of the restaurant to help his father. He tried to grapple with Aparri for the gun, but the suspect pointed the gun at him, forcing him back into the restaurant. Fortunately, the gun did not fire.

William later told police that Aparri, apparently high on drugs, lingered at the scene and even entered the van apparently looking for something. He later escaped aboard a Nissan Sentra car.

William said the car, which was parked nearby, had its engines running during the entire incident.