Police hunting Ballacillo killers

Police have launched a manhunt for a gun-for-hire group believed to be involved in the killing of assistant solicitor general Nestor Ballacillo and his son last Wednesday in Parañaque City.

Superintendent Ronald Estilles said investigators are also focused on identifying the mastermind. "We believe that the two suspects belong to a gun-for-hire group. The leader’s arrest will definitely help answer questions as to what was the real motive in the killing and who are the others involved in the case."

Police believe the two gunmen were professionals because of the manner Ballacillo and his son, Benedict, were gunned down.

"Both of them had a gun. One shot the elder Ballocillo in the head while the other shot the young victim on the chin at close range. They did not take with them the cell phone but just ran away with the backpack full of documents," Estilles said.

The police has ruled out robbery as the motive of the killings and eyed the squabble over the issue of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia)-Terminal 3 as the reason for the murder.

Ballacillo is one of the OSG lawyers handling the long-running dispute over the new terminal of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.