Slain German's 5 girlfriends quizzed

MANILA, Philippines - The Makati City police has taken the statements of five reported girlfriends of a German national who was killed in Makati City Thursday.

Southern Police District (SPD) director Chief Superintendent Jose Arne de los Santos said the five women denied having had a hand in the shooting of Sergio Mazza, 38, a food and beverage executive of the Shangri-La Hotel.

De los Santos clarified though that despite their denial, police investigators are not “ruling them (girlfriends) out as yet” in the murder of Mazza.

“We are in the process of comparing their statements and establishing evidence linking them to the crime,” said the SPD director, who admitted they have no clear evidence showing the five women’s involvement in Mazza’s murder.

De los Santos kept the identities of Mazza’s alleged girlfriends “as they are not suspects (in) the case as yet.”

Mazza reportedly maintained relationships with at least eight women and De los Santos admitted Makati City police investigators are eyeing a “love angle” in his killing.

Earlier, National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Director Roberto Rosales directed Senior Superintendent Froilan Bonifacio, Makati City police chief, to invite for questioning the supposed girlfriends of Mazza to shed light on his slaying Thursday.

De los Santos said police investigators have also taken statements of several witnesses who saw Mazza shot in the head at close range at the corner of De la Rosa and Perea streets in Makati City on June 17.

The killing was caught by a closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera and De los Santos said they are enhancing the image to get a “clear look at the gunman.”

“Once we have a clear picture of the gunman, we will launch a massive manhunt operation to get him and possibly the mastermind in the German’s killing,” he said.

Police already ruled out robbery as the motive because Mazza’s belongings, including the P20,000 in his wallet and BlackBerry mobile phone, were untouched.

De Los Santos admitted police investigators are pursuing the “love angle” but they would also “dig deeper into other angles once they crop up.”