Swiss tourist murders: Suspect’s image out

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Philippines – Police yesterday released a computer-generated image of one of the men seen killing two Swiss tourists in Opol town, Misamis Oriental.

The image was based on a description given by witnesses and on a photograph taken before the attack that occurred at a beach resort last Sunday.

Criminal Investigation and Detection Group Region 10 chief Col. Pedro Austria said the suspect has yet to be identified.

Austria said the special investigating task force has leads on the killers.

He said the task force, composed of personnel from the CIDG, provincial police office and municipal police station, believes the killings were done by at least two assailants.

“The crime laboratory determined that two caliber .45 pistols was used in the shooting, based on the bullets and shells recovered from the crime scene,” Austria said.

Robert Erich Lober, 67, and Balthasar Johann Erni, 78, were shot at close range.

Austria said the task force is still gathering evidence in addition to the statements of the witnesses and the driver of a taxi that was used as a getaway vehicle by the assailants.

Meanwhile, Opol Mayor Maximino Seno ordered security tightened along the town’s coastal area.

Seno said the owners of the beach resort where the killing occurred reviewed their security measures after the incident.

Earlier, Gov. Yevgeny Vincente Emano offered a P100,000 reward for any information leading to the capture of the killers.