Artist sketch of Batangas vice mayor's killer released

Camp Vicente Lim, Laguna – Police have released an artist sketch of the lone gunman in the slay of Mabini vice mayor Rowell Sandoval in Bauan town on Aug. 26.

Superintendent Antonio Malabanan, Bauan police chief said the suspect, was described by one of the witnesses as having slim build, about 25 to 28 years old and about 5’3” to 5’4” tall and wearing a blue t-shirt, maong short pants and slippers.

Malabanan said the lone assassin was described by one of Sandoval’s employees in his call center when he was shot at close range around 8:40 p.m.

In a mobile interview with The Star, Malabanan admitted that they are still having a hard time in gathering information to solve the murder incident which was initially assessed as politically motivated and something to do with his business.

“We’re still investigating” Malabanan told The Star when asked about the present status of the case.

Sandoval, 51, and his wife Wilma were talking to each other in their two-story Research Solution Information Center (RSIC) call center building along Buendia street in Poblacion 3 when the gunman barged in and fired six shots at him with a caliber .45 pistol.

Wilma, who was unharmed, rushed her husband to the Bauan Doctors Hospital where he died later due to multiple bullet wounds in the head and back.

Police said the assailant fled toward the dark portion of the Camella Homes Subdivision that leads to the neighboring town of San Pascual.

Wilma described her husband as a peace loving public servant – “Wala naman siyang natatanggap na mga threat at isa lamang siyang tahimik na tao (He had not received any threats; he was just a quiet person),” she told The STAR. — Arnell Ozaeta