THE police are expected to file today a case for multiple murder against at least three unidentified suspects tagged in the killing of brothers Nick Benzen and Niel Brian Ong.
This after a lone witness came out to testify about the murder of the seaman brothers in a bar on the night of January 26 in Punta Princesa, Barangay Labangon, Cebu City.
Superintendent Ryan Devaras, chief of the Investigation Detection Management Branch (IDMB) said they found two witnesses but only one was able to execute an affidavit.
The witness, Devaras said, was a habal-habal driver who took his passenger from Lapu-Lapu City to Barangay Labangon when the crime happened.
He said the witness was waiting for a new passenger when the two motorcycle-riding suspects passed by after shooting the brothers.
In their haste, the gunman, who was the back rider fell off the motorbike giving the witness enough time to see his face since only the driver had a helmet on.
Senior Police Officer 1 Winston Ybañez who is handling the case, told Cebu Daily News that they will file appropriate charges in court today against the three suspects including a possible lookout.
Ybañez also said that they now have discarded the love triangle angle in the killing but are still pursuing the personal grudge and illegal drugs angles because he said they were informed that the younger victim –Nick Benzen, 25 – was collecting money earlier that day. Ybañez did not elaborate.
Meanwhile Attorney Inocencio Dela Cerna, the lead counsel of the Ong family, expressed elation over this latest development.
“We commend the police for this development. This is definitely good news for the Ong family,” Dela Cerna said. Dela Cerna added that the indignation rally they held last Sunday may have encouraged the witness to come out.