3 crack teams dispatched to gather evidence in Umale slay

Three teams of crack police operatives were dispatched yesterday to different areas of Metro Manila and nearby provinces to gather evidence and to contact witnesses in the ambush-slay of a businessman in Pasig City.

Senior Superintendent Felipe Rojas Jr., intelligence chief of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), revealed that they are initially pursuing the business rivalry angle in the killing of Leonardo Umale, 62, owner of the Pearl Plaza located at the Ortigas Center.

"We are conducting a check on all people who might have a possible motive to silence Umale," Rojas said.

He said they are also gathering evidence and witnesses to get a clear picture of how Umale was killed.

Initial reports showed that two men shot Umale as he was entering his building last Thursday. Two other men acted as lookouts.

Rojas said the Regional Intelligence and Investigation Division (RIID) of the NCRPO, the Pasig City police and Task Force Umale have dispatched one team each, hoping to gather enough evidence and witnesses to crack the case at the soonest possible time.

Eastern Police District (EPD) director Chief Superintendent Charlemagne Alejandrino, who heads Task Force Umale, would be meeting today with members of his team to determine their next move in solving the case.

"I will distribute tasking among my members on the respective angles they must pursue and analyze. We will exchange notes in our next meeting," said Alejandrino.

Members of the Umale clan have pooled their resources and offered a P10 million reward for information leading to the solution of the ambush-slay.

Metro police chief Director Vidal Querol admitted they have yet to directly talk with Umale’s family regarding the incident.

The family has been pointing to Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis "Chavit" Singson as the man behind the killing, an accusation the politician has vehemently denied.

Umale’s wife, Vicky, said a possible reason for the murder was the victim’s filing of cases against Singson on several occasions.

"He (Singson) could not accept defeat in the cases," she said. "Chavit is the most feared man in the country. This is all about money, greed and power."

Mrs. Umale also cleared Rizal Gov. Casimiro Yñares, as a possible suspect.

Police earlier said they have no evidence linking Singson to the murder.

According to Singson, Umale had a lot of enemies as he came up with a list of individuals with whom the businessman had figured in disputes.

Umale was cremated last Friday. His ashes were placed in the family mausoleum at the Christ the King Memorial Park yesterday after a Mass.

Chief Superintendent Ernesto Belen, director of the PNP crime laboratory, said an autopsy has already been conducted. "So far, the family of Umale has raised no questions on the result of the autopsy."

Belen said EPD crime scene investigators lifted several fingerprints from utensils used by the suspects while having breakfast at a restaurant on the second floor of the Pearl Plaza.

He said they will be running the prints on their automated fingerprint identification system (AFIS).

"Should the suspects have records on file, we can identify them," Belen said.

Querol has directed Alejandrino to dispatch a police investigator to get the statement of the victim’s daughter, Tintin, who was with the businessman when the suspects staged the ambush.

Earlier, the victim’s family begged off from cooperating with the Task Force Umale until after the memorial services.