A complaint for murder was filed against the suspect in the slay of two brothers in Punta Princesa last January 27.
Homicide Investigator SPO1 Winston Ybañez said that a suspected gunman has been identified but remains at large.
A complaint for double murder was filed against a certain Elvin Abella in connection with the death of brothers Nick Benzen, 25 and Neil Brian Ong, 28. The Ong brothers were drinking at a bar in F. Llamas St., Punta Princesa.
Their mother, Thelma Ong was accompanied by lawyer Inocencio de la Cerna Jr., in filing the complaints before the Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office, on Wednesday afternoon.
“We are elated because now we have filed the case against the suspected gunman and he has been identified,” De la Cerna said.
He said the indignation rally last Sunday had helped them get witnesses who came forward and helped in the investigation.
“The public awareness and the indignation rally conducted by the Ong family may have helped a lot,” he said.
Supt. Ryan Devaras, chief of the Investigation and Detection Management Branch (IDMB) of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) said that they now have a witness, a motorcycle (habal-habal) driver, who was then waiting for a passenger, when the suspect passed near him.
De la Cerna said the description of the witness helped them identify the suspect.
Devaras said it was difficult to persuade the witness to execute an affidavit because he feared for his safety.
“We are thankful to our investigators who persuaded the witness to execute an affidavit. This is why we are now able to file a case,” he said.
The lawyer said Abella is an alleged gun-for-hire and was allegedly responsible for numerous killings that happened in Metro Cebu.
“He is already facing a murder case and he is also a wanted person” Devaras added.
However, Devaras said Abella is not on their drug watch list.
“There are witnesses who say that the younger victim had a verbal transaction with the suspect prior to the incident,” Devaras said.
He admitted, however, that they do not know the nature of that transaction.