Noli Sugay, the executive assistant on police matters of Manila Mayor Lito Atienza, "surrendered" to Manila Police District (MPD) director Chief Superintendent Pedro Bulaong after he was tagged by several witnesses as the man who shot dead Aries Luriz, of Tondo.
Sugay was accompanied by Manila City Hall legal officer Maureen Tolentino-Dila.
According to officer-on-case SPO2 David Tuazon, the shooting was precipitated by a verbal altercation between Luriz and Sugay, whose vehicle was reportedly blocked by the victim’s jeepney at a parking area located at the corner of Coral and Dagupan streets in Tondo.
At the height of the argument, witnesses claimed, Sugay pulled out a gun and shot the victim once in the forehead.
Sugay then boarded his vehicle, a white Toyota Fortuner, and sped off toward Tayuman street.
Luriz died at the Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center while undergoing treatment.
In front of mediamen, Sugay neither confirmed nor denied allegations against him.
"I will answer the charges in the proper forum," he told reporters.
Police sources said Sugay was compelled to surrender after the victim’s family sought the assistance of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).
MPD-Homicide Section head Chief Inspector Alejandro Yanquiling Jr. said he would be informing the NBI of Sugay’s surrender to seek the bureau’s assistance in asking witnesses to put their statements in affidavits.
"Unless we have the witnesses’ statements put into writing, we cannot charge Mr. Sugay. Our hands are still tied on what charges to be filed against the suspect since we do not have corroborating statements from witnesses yet," Yanquiling explained.
Meanwhile, Atienza ordered Bulaong to conduct an impartial investigation into the shooting incident.
He earlier advised his aide to present himself to the MPD and air his side.
"I talked to Noli this morning and told him that he should answer the allegations because right now there has been no formal complaint filed," the mayor said.