Cops return P.9 M to kin of condo slay victim

Investigators of the Manila Police District’s Homicide Section returned last night a total of P900,000 and other personal belongings of a Chinese-Filipino businesswoman who was shot dead inside her condominium unit in Ermita, Manila last Sunday.

The cash, in crisp P1,000 bills, was turned over to the mother of slay victim Josephine Ong, 33, by Homicide Section head Chief Inspector Alejandro Yangquiling Jr.

Three passports belonging to the victim and her two children were also released to the mother.

Ling Yin Lin, 54, came to the country from Hong Kong after learning of her daughter’s death. She was accompanied by her husband and interpreter Matthew Sy.

Yangquiling said the cash and other personal belongings of the victim were recovered by his investigators at the fourth floor unit of the Matimyas House condominium on M.H. del Pilar street in Ermita.

The victim, who was discovered in a kneeling position by her bed, had been shot in the nape, with the bullet exiting her mouth. Probers also recovered an empty shell of a caliber .45 pistol near the body.

Police earlier tagged Emilio Ong, former husband of the victim, as the prime suspect. The suspect is armed and dangerous, according to Yangquiling.

He admitted the suspect has proven to be elusive since he has "a lot of friends in high places."

The suspect allegedly shot his former wife in a fit of jealousy after finding out that she was seeing another man following their separation.

Ong is also facing several charges, including murder as well as perjury filed by the Traffic Management Group (TMG) for falsely reporting that his Mercedes Benz had been forcibly taken by armed men in Manila. It later turned out that the vehicle was pawned by the suspect to a casino financier.

Yangquiling said Ong is also a suspect in last year’s slaying of a casino financier in Ermita.