CEBU, Philippines - Mayor Paz Radaza wants to increase police visibility at the City Hall grounds after a businessman was gunned down right in front of the Hall of Justice on Tuesday morning.
The mayor said this is to ensure that the place, where the public transacts with the government on daily basis, is kept secure.
Before noon Tuesday, Jaime Daño, owner of shell craft business, was shot dead few meters away from the Hall of Justice where he accompanied two neighbors in a hearing of their case that involved blast fishing.
Radaza learned that Daño, a resident of Sitio Solas, Barangay Punta Engaño, ran for barangay captain against Diosminda Hayashi and Lourdes Ibag in the 2013 elections. Reports said Ibag won the race, although the results were contested by Hayashi.
The police said they have made initial investigation into the shooting but there are no encouraging leads so far.
One of the food stalls near the crime scene was able to record a closed-circuit television footage of the incident, but the gunman and the driver of the motorcycle who accompanied him could not be clearly scene from the footage.
"Naay CCTV camera (footage) pero dili maklaro kay nagduko man daw," Radaza said.
In a separate interview, Police Senior Superintendent Armando Radoc, officer-in-charge of Lapu-Lapu City Police Office, assured that the police will augment visibility in the area.
Radoc also denied there were no policemen stationed near the crime scene at the time of the shooting.
He then instructed Police Inspector Zenaido Pastorfide to conduct a more in-depth investigation into the killing.
Radoc also said he already endorsed a letter to the City Council asking for the installation of CCTV cameras in the area.
WRONGLY ADDRESSED
Meanwhile, a source who requested anonymity told The FREEMAN that someone sent a wreath to the family of Daño last week during the wake of his father who died of a disease.
Interestingly, the message on the wreath was reportedly addressed to Daño himself, not to his deceased father.
Almost everyone in Barangay Punta Engaño knew of this incident, the source claimed, as Daño was a well-known man in the barangay.
The source also said Daño would normally go out with body guards accompanying him, adding that he would wear bullet-proof vest whenever he was out.
When he was shot on Tuesday, Daño was hit in the head. Police are yet to confirm whether the victim was indeed wearing a bullet-proof vest when he was gunned down.
The source concluded the gunman may have known that Daño was bullet-proof that day and so he decided to aim for the head.
Relatives have earlier said they were not aware of any recent threats to Daño's life. — Christell Fatima M. Tudtud (FREEMAN)