Manhunt on for dental clinic killer

MANILA, Philippines - Police are hunting down a man, purportedly a security guard, who shot dead an employee during a robbery attempt at a dental clinic in Quezon City recently.

Inspector Elmer Monsalve, head of the homicide investigation section of the Quezon City Police District, said they are looking into the real identity of the suspect, who identified himself as Gregorio Custodio, a security guard at a bank in Muñoz.

He said the same person was tagged in a number of dental clinic robberies in Quezon City.

At around 5 p.m. Wednesday, the man went into a clinic along Roosevelt Avenue to have his teeth cleaned. After finishing the job, the dentist assigned to him went into the restroom to clean her hands. She heard a shot coming from the reception area, and saw clinic secretary Kristy Gene Topinio, 21, sprawled on the floor.

Monsalve said Topinio had been shot in the back of the head, possibly with a revolver. He said they have a sketch of her killer, based on the description of Dr. Dannah Joy Castillo, one of the dentists at the clinic.

Castillo told police that the killer was between 38 and 40 years old, about 5’5” to 5’6” in height, and of medium build.

Monsalve said they already checked with the bank but there was no such person working as a guard there. He said that they are also checking the name with the Land Transportation Office and the Supervisory Office for Security and Investigation Agency in Camp Crame to track down the killer.

Monsalve said the killer was not able to get anything from the clinic.