Victim’s family refers new witness to NBI

CEBU — The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has a new witness in the recent ambush-killing here of a Customs official and an examiner.

NBI executive officer Nelson Bartolome said the family of Customs deputy collector for operations Eduardo Lao has referred to the bureau a man, who was reportedly informed that a certain Customs executive had made negative remarks about Lao and examiner Bennet Soreño and may have masterminded the killing.

Bartolome said the new witness, a small-scale businessman, has executed a sworn statement.

However, Bartolome said the witness’ statement will remain hearsay considering that the information was only passed on to him by another person.

The NBI is now looking for the primary source of the information to corroborate the witness’ statement.

Meanwhile, the NBI has dropped as suspect the man they earlier had taken custody of after one of its witnesses said it was not the same person riding tandem with the gunwielder on board a motorcycle.

Bartolome said the suspect resembled the man in a picture earlier given to them, which incidentally matched the cartographic sketch of the real gunwielder.

Two witnesses identified the gunman as at least five feet, four inches tall, about 25 to 30 years old, dark-complexioned, muscular and had short, straight hair.

The one driving the motorcycle, on the other hand, was reportedly of medium built, about 30 years old and was sporting a gray shirt and blue jeans.

The NBI earlier said the killers could be professional hit men because of the precision with which they pulled off the ambush.

Lao and Sereno were on board Lao’s Isuzu Trooper on their way to Lao’s residence when two men on a Yamaha motorbike got near and fired at them when they stopped for a red light along Osmeña Boulevard.

The NBI has offered a P100,000 reward for information leading to the killers’ arrest. — Freeman News Service