Verzosa: Drive vs criminals riding on motorcycles should be revived

MANILA, Philippines - Philippine National Police chief Director General Jesus Verzosa ordered to revive the police effort to accost individuals riding on motorcycles to preempt criminal elements from carrying out crimes like that of the attack on jueteng whistle blower Wilfredo “Boy” Mayor.

Verzosa said the campaign against criminals riding on motorcycles should be revived in the aftermath of the ambush of Mayor in Pasay City Sunday. “Ibabalik nila yung kanilang project on neutralizing criminals using motorcycles in their modus operandi, we have a complaint against those that are using motorcycles that may be involved with syndicates,” Verzosa said.

Mayor had just left the City State Hotel and Casino in Malate, Manila around 4 a.m. on Feb. 28 with his nephew, Rommel Paje, and son-in-law, Allan Benedict Castro, when two motorcycle-riding men opened fire at their Volvo vehicle on MIA Road in Pasay City.

Verzosa ordered a review of the set up of checkpoints to determine why the attackers of Mayor were able to roam around carrying their guns and later managed to escape after the killing. “We have to adjust the checkpoints, this is a continuing task of our field units, they would compare and analyze the occurrence of incidents especially violent incidents then adjust checkpoints,” Verzosa said.

The PNP chief, a seasoned investigator, theorized that the attack was well planned considering the pattern of the killing. “With the precision na ginawa dun sa pangayayari, we can just conclude na nagkaroon yan ng thorough planning at saka may prior surveillance,” Verzosa added.

He said investgators reported to him three possible theories that could help solve the killing of Mayor, who linked members of the First Family to jueteng operations.

In related developments, the Pasay City police is coordinating with the City Star Tower Hotel and Casino to establish the identity of a certain “Flower” of which whistle blower Mayor allegedly had conversation prior to his killing early morning of Sunday.

According to Pasay City police chief Senior Superintendent Raul Petrasanta, the police are trying to establish the identity of a certain “Flower” to determine whether the latter is also a casino financier.

Petrasanta said that the police is also set to invite “Flower’ to shed light on the conduct of their investigation after finding that Mayor has also several debts from different casino financiers in Metro Manila.

He said that “Flower” surfaced in their investigation after the victim’s nephew, Rommel, had told them that he had seen “Flower’ and the victim several times together but could not say the transaction of the two.

Police said that their invitation to “Flower” would also help them determine the other casino financiers whom Mayor had allegedly loaned money as his capital in some of his casino games. It was also learned that Mayor has several debts to some casino financiers allegedly in Heritage Hotel in Pasay City, Casino Filipino in Parañaque City and at the said casino where the victim was last seen playing together with others including “Flower’ at the second floor.