NPD releases sketches of radio host's killers

MANILA, Philippines - The Northern Police District (NPD) released yesterday computer-generated images of three men tagged in the murder of broadcaster Marlina Sumera in Malabon City last week as the reward for their arrest reached P450,000.

A source, however, provided The STAR with a sketch of a fourth attacker, a woman who was also seen during the killing of a barangay chairman the week prior to Sumera’s murder.

During yesterday’s press conference, NPD director Chief Superintendent Edgardo Ladao, head of Task Force Sumera, said two of the men are in their early 20s, while the third is between 40 and 45 years old. All of them are around 5’2” to 5’3” tall, he said.

The woman seen during Sumera’s shooting was described to be around 18 to 19 years old, around 4’10” tall, brown-skinned, and “tomboyish but sexy,” according to the source.

She was reportedly the same woman who shot dead Edwin Abella, 46, chairman of Barangay North Bay Boulevard South in Navotas City at around 7:30 a.m. on March 15. The woman had three male companions when she fired at Abella in close range, hitting him in the left temple, witnesses said.

Sumera, president of Silonian Homeowners Association in Barangay Maysilo, Malabon City, was walking a few meters away from her house on Silonian street when she was shot dead at around 9:35 a.m. on March 24.

She was about to report to her public service radio program “Arangkada 1530” on radio station dzME in Caloocan City. She died on the spot from a single bullet wound in the nape that exited through her left eye.

The gunmen reportedly picked up the shell and slug of the gun before escaping. The suspects in Abella’s murder did the same. Sources said both murders could have been done by a single group of contract killers.

Reward for tipsters reaches P.4 M

Ladao also announced that the task force already has P200,000 for the early resolution of Sumera’s murder. The figure includes P100,000 donated by the Malabon City government; P50,000 from concerned citizens; and P50,000 from the National Press Club.

Malabon Rep. Jaye Lacson-Noel offered yesterday a P250,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of those behind the killing of Sumera. All told, there is now P450,000 being offered to potential informants and witnesses.

“I hope this encourages witnesses to come forward with information and assist us in serving her family the justice they deserve,” Lacson-Noel said.

She also said she would inquire into the alleged root cause of the killing, which is a dispute over a 4.2-hectare land formerly owned by the National Housing Authority and which has been awarded to its occupants. She promised to help in the settlement of the dispute.

Sumera was buried Sunday at the Holy Cross Memorial Park in Novaliches, Quezon City, with her kin and SHA members appealing for justice.

The SHA has an ongoing P1.7-million road widening and drainage system improvement projects and the P500,000 multi-purpose hall construction project in former NHA property in Barangay Maysilo, which is being opposed by another homeowners group, Kapitbahayan at Samahan sa Maysilo, headed by Emma Nuqui.

Nuqui’s group is claiming ownership to the property and objects to Sumera’s projects because these affect the houses of 29 of its members.

Ladao said the task force is looking closely at the ongoing land dispute between the two groups as the “most probable” cause of Sumera’s murder.