Cops have new leads on Du, et al killings

CEBU CITY — New leads have given the police a breakthrough in their investigation of last Wednesday’s twin killings of lawyer Edward Du and SPO2 Roman Lucero and police "asset" Randolf Anthony Soronda.

Inspector Mario Monilar of the Cebu City police Homicide Section yesterday told reporters the gunmen and masterminds in the two shooting incidents are already identified and are currently being pursued. In both killings, the gunmen are hired killers, said Monilar who refused yet to divulge their identities pending follow-up investigations.

The 45-year-old Lucero and 37-year-old Soronda were shot to death by an unidentified gunman while watching television inside Soronda’s house in Tres de Abril Extension last Wednesday noon. Both Lucero and Soronda suffered multiple gunshot wounds and were rushed to the nearby Miller Hospital where they died an hour later.

Police theorized it was Soronda who was the assassin’s only target but since Lucero was there at that time, he was also shot.

Around 8 p.m. that same day, 51-year-old Du was also shot by an unidentified gunman while walking on his way home from a tennis match at Villa Aurora, Barangay Kasambagan. Initially, the police believed Du’s killing may have something to do with a land deal he earlier engaged. But Monilar yesterday refused to confirm if the police were still pursuing the same lead.

Du was reported to have earlier sought the help of the National Bureau of Investigation after three women allegedly gave him a transfer certificate of title in exchange for a loan of P240,000. — Freeman News Service