Letran player tags ex-cop in slay try

MANILA, Philippines - Letran Knights point guard Franz Dysam strongly suspects that a former policeman is behind a failed ambush in San Juan Saturday that resulted in his partner’s death and left him wounded, an official said yesterday.

Dysam, 24, claimed that the ex-policeman threatened to kill him several times if he refused to end his relationship with Joan Sordan, 33, according to San Juan police chief Senior Superintendent Bernard Tambaoan, who interviewed Dysam at an undisclosed hospital last Sunday.

Sordan had two children, aged 16 and 11, with her former husband, Angelito Sordan. She and Dysam have a two-year-old girl and another child, now three months old.

Tambaoan refused to name the former policeman. He, however, said they already have in police custody a person who witnessed the ambush and may be able to identify the man who shot Dysam and his partner.

Serious consequences

While playing for the Letran Knights, Dysam said the former policeman would visit their dugout and practice area to warn him of “serious consequences” should he fail to end his relationship with Sordan.

He quit playing for the team last year after the suspect pointed a handgun at him when they met at Sordan’s house in Sta. Ana, Manila.

“He (Dysam) went home to Cebu where he and Sordan lived together and their union produced a child,” Tambaoan said in an interview.

According to Tambaoan, Dysam said it was only the ex-policeman who wanted him killed.

Investigators are coordinating with other police units to get a copy of the former policeman’s personal data.

Caught on camera

Tambaoan said he will also present to Dysam a copy of surveillance footage showing a man shooting at Dysam’s vehicle at the corner of N. Domingo street and Araneta Avenue Saturday.

“Once Dysam points to the gunman as the ex-cop, we will not waste time in making moves to arrest him,” said Tambaoan, as he expressed strong confidence they would solve the case in due time.

However, he said the video was taken against the light and it does not clearly show the gunman’s face.

Tambaoan said the video showed the gunman – who wore a body belt – getting off a motorcycle, approaching the gray Nissan Sentra GX driven by Dysam and shooting the victims several times.

He said Dysam embraced Sordan to protect her before their car, owned by Sordan, hit a lamppost. He sustained six gunshot wounds while Sordan died while being treated for a lone gunshot wound at a hospital.

The attack occurred after Dysam and Sordan left The Arena in San Juan City after the Knight’s 61-53 win over the Lyceum Pirates in a National Collegiate Athletic Association basketball game Saturday.