The car of slain former Cebu City prosecutor Mary Ann Castro, with its headlight still on, came to a stop on a sidewalk along Escario Street, Cebu after she was shot and killed by unknown assailants past 10 p.m. on Thursday, January 17, 2019. / photo by Futch Inso
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Former Cebu City prosecutor Mary Ann Castro was ambushed and killed along Escario Street in uptown Cebu City at about 10 p.m. Thursday, January 17.
Castro, whose is reportedly currently assigned in Masbate City, reportedly just left the Ayala Center area and was heading uptown driving a yellow Nissan Juke when she was waylaid and shot while negotiating the busy Escario Street.
Chief Inspector Edward Sanches, chief of the Fuente Police Station, confirmed the fatality to be Castro, who has been involved in a number of controversies and had been suspended while assigned in Cebu City.
Prior to her suspension and eventual transfer to Masbate, Castro was legally entangled with the family of her estranged husband, Greco, the son of the late Cebu Vice Governor Gregorio Sanchez.
A year ago, the Department of Justice (DOJ) has ordered the 90-day preventive suspension of Castro, who was facing a series of administrative charges over her conflict with some members of the family of the late Sanchez.
Police officer Sanches said they were looking at all possible motives for the ambush-slay, one of which was the possibility that it could be drug related, as she has been actively prosecuting drug cases in the past.
As of 11:20 p.m., the Scene of the Crime Operatives (Soco) were still in the area processing the crime scene.
Castro’s relatives have also started arriving at the area.
Read More: Mary Ann Castro suspended anew