Cops continue hunt of suspect in killing of Mantuyong chief

MANDAUE City police are zeroing in on the person who tried to extort money from slain Mantuyong Barangay Captain Antonio Maquilan as their suspect in the killing of the city’s village chief.

Senior Supt. Roberto Alanas, Mandaue City Police Office chief, said in an interview yesterday that they were trying to acquire a photo of the person, but if they could not get one, then they would make a facial composite of the suspect.

Alanas said that based on their information, the suspect, whom Alanas refused to identify, is hiding but is still in the city.

“In a few days kung wala man kaming makuha na photos sa suspect, gagawa kami ng facial composite ng suspect at para mamukhaan ng mga tao at mai-report sa police (In a few days, if we can’t get photos of the suspect, then we will just make a facial composite so that people will recognize the suspect and report his whereabouts to the police),” said Alanas.

Alanas said that they believed the person who tried extorting money from Maquilan was the same person who was responsible for shooting the barangay captain in the leg, which caused the village chief to suffer a cardiac arrest resulting in his death last May 2.

Maquilan was shot dead by two men wearing full-face helmets in Barangay Mantuyong.

Alanas said they, however, had yet to identify the suspect’s cohort.

Alanas said it was confirmed that Maquilan received death threats from the suspect, who asked P20,000 from the village chief or he would be killed.
The threats were based on the text messages on the victim’s cell phone.

Alanas said that Maquilan took the threats for granted and even told family and friends to just let the person come to the barangay hall where he could be found.

Maquilan’s remains were transferred to the Mantuyong Barangay Hall from his house in the barangay since this would be the last day of viewing for the public in the barangay as the remains would be brought to the slain village chief’s hometown in Sogod town in northern Cebu today (Wednesday) where he would be laid to rest.

Mayor Gabriel Luis “Luigi” Quisumbing, in an earlier interview, said they had not discussed who Maquilan’s successor as barangay captain of Mantuyong would be.

Quisumbing said this would likely be discussed after Maquilan’s burial.

The mayor also assured that the functions in the barangay had not been affected because a system involving this kind of situation had been put in place to continue the services of the barangay.