Businessman to sue witness for linking him to Mayor murder

MANILA, Philippines - Bicolano billionaire businessman Elizalde Co has threatened to file charges against witness Sandra Cam for linking him and his construction firms to the murder of jueteng whistle-blower Wilfredo “Boy” Mayor.

“I have instructed my lawyers to study the possibility of filing the appropriate cases for the irresponsible statements made by Cam (over radio station) dzMM,” Co said in a statement.

Co, the board chairman of Sunwest Construction and Development Corp. (SCDC), said his firm “has no business dealings whatsoever with Mr. Mayor.”

He said he requested Cam to refrain from using his name since he is a private businessman. “It is unfortunate that my name is being dragged into the controversy,” Co said.

Co owns various businesses, ranging from construction to hotels and beach resorts, in Bicol and other parts of the country.

Meanwhile, officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in Bicol denied reports that their office has something to do with the killing of Mayor, but said they would welcome any investigation on the matter.

Danny Manalang, DPWH-Bicol director, said Mayor did not have any business transaction with their office since he took over the post in July 2009.

He also denied reports that there were ghost projects under his administration that Mayor was supposed to disclose had he not been shot dead.

“There is no ghost project here. The biddings of these contracts are all properly published,” Manalang said, adding that he welcomes any investigation “so that the truth will come out.”

Even Oscar Cristobal, DPWH-Bicol assistance regional director for operations, said he does not know of any recent transaction Mayor had with their office.

“It is even best that they conduct in-depth investigation on this so that innocent people will not be dragged into it,” Cristobal told The STAR.

Mayor was the owner of the Triple-M construction firm. DPWH records here showed the victim’s last transaction with the office was in 2008.

Mayor killers caught on video

The gunmen who killed Mayor were caught on video by a surveillance camera tailing his car for almost five minutes along MIA Road in Pasay City Sunday, Southern Police District (SPD) director Chief Superintendent Jaime Calungsud said.

He said the footage did not record the actual ambush, and investigators could not identify the killers because they were wearing helmets.

Calungsud said the license plate of the motorcycle used by the attackers is not readable since the “surveillance camera was at the other side of the street.” He said they are consulting computer experts to make the image of the plate readable.

Metro police chief Director Roberto Rosales said the SPD also has another video showing Mayor talking to a casino financier they identified only as “Flower,” at a table in the City State Tower building in Malate, Manila moments before he was ambushed.

Rosales said they would invite the casino financier for questioning to find out what topic she and Mayor discussed. “She was the last person seen talking to Mayor while he was alive. It is important for us to learn what they talked about, especially if the victim confided to her threats on his life,” Rosales said.

Calungsud said he directed Senior Superintendent Raul Petrasanta, Pasay City police chief, not only to invite for questioning Flower but also Cam and retired Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz.

Cruz and Cam maintain that a contractor in Bicol had something to do with Mayor’s murder. Calungsud said they would ask Cam and Cruz to substantiate their claims with solid evidence.

Witnesses clam up

Rosales said Mayor’s companions at the time of the shooting – his nephew Rommel Mayor, 39, and his registered nurse driver, Allan Benedict Castro, 39 --– have refused to talk about the incident.

“At first the younger Mayor and Castro were talking freely to our police investigators. But now they refused to cooperate upon the advise of their lawyer,” said Rosales.

He said because the younger Mayor and Castro did not cooperate, police artists failed to produce sketches of the victim’s killers.

The Metro police chief said a police team is now in Bicol. Rosales called up his classmate, Bicol police regional director Chief Superintendent Cecilio Calleja, to help his police team get statements from Mayor’s family in Daraga, Albay.

“The solution of Mayor’s killing lies in Bicol. So we are gathering material evidence there to help us solve this case,” said Rosales.

Mayor and Cam appeared before a Senate hearing in 2005 accusing First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo and his son, Pampanga Rep. Juan Miguel Arroyo, of receiving jueteng payoffs. The Arroyos have denied the accusation.