Gun-for-hire behind Mary Ann Castro ambush-slay

CEBU, Philippines — The special investigation task group on the killing of prosecutor Mary Ann Castro considers a group of gun-for-hire as possible attackers.

Newly-installed chief of the Cebu City Investigation and Detective Management Branch Superintendent Frankie Lugo said in a press conference they have leads but are still establishing links.

"Actually group of persons sila. Lahat sila may record. Tinututukan na natin ang possibility. Pero hindi pa tayo makapag zero in," Lugo said yesterday. (They all have criminal records.  We are looking into a possibility but we cannot zero in on that yet.)

He said that they were able to secure footage from closed-circuit television cameras and got hold of two valid statements from witnesses that corroborated with the footage.

He said they are working to get a cartographic sketch since one of the witnesses can describe the assailant physically.

Lugo said they will be retrieving other footage to check other angles.

"We are still coordinating with establishments para ma corraborate ang CCTV sa ibang view. May iba naman tayong witnesses para ma jive and to solve this case," Lugo said.

He added that they will submit the footage to the Anti-Cybercrime Group for image enhancing in order to get a clearer picture of the plate number.

He also said that any deleted footage from Castro's dash camera can be retrieved.

Castro’s family earlier claimed that some footage in the dash camera got deleted.

He said that a digital examination from the PNP Crime Laboratory usually takes a week.

To recall, Castro was shot dead while traversing Escario Ext. in Barangay Camputhaw last January 17.

Castro was the estranged wife of Leodegreco Sanchez and was also linked to SPO2 Adonis Dumpit.

Police eyed work-related matter, personal finances, and illegal-drug involvement as possible motives. — MBG (FREEMAN)