DAVAO city police have started a manhunt for the gunman who shot dead Cebu businessman Richard King.
They will soon release the profile sketch of the killer, but for now it remains under wraps.
“There’s a sketch but we can’t publicize it just yet. We think he may flee if he knows he’s already been identified,” Senior Supt. Vicente Danao, police chief of Davao city told Cebu Daily News last night.
“Please give us time. This is not an ordinary case,” he said.
The gunman was described as fair skinned, in his mid-30s and 5 feet, 5 inches tall.
NBI ACTION
In Cebu, National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) supervising agent Rennan Augustus Oliva said they are looking into all angles after the victim’s brother Rafael asked the agency’s help to identify the perpetrators, including the mastermind.
“Although the crime happened in Davao, there’s a possibility that the gunman and the mastermind are from Cebu,” said Oliva, lead investigator.
Edward Tan, head of marketing and communications of J. King and Sons Co., said his boss didn’t travel with bodyguards.
“Lately, he (King) had no security guards with him. He’s a simple person and he usually traveled alone,” said Tan.
“His family did not receive any death threats and he (King) did not have personal conflicts with other people,” Tan said.
Chief Supt. Prudencio “Tom” Bañas, the new PNP Central Visayas director, said local police will check whether King was being placed under surveillance and was followed to Davao by his assailant.
COORDINATED
Intelligence officer of PRO-7, Supt. Paul Labra II said they are coordinating with Davao police to brief them on King’s background in Cebu.
Supt. Fermin Armendarez III, deputy chief of PRO-7, said police are willing to provide security to the King family.
He said police are coordinating with the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG-7) CIDG in Davao.
A reward of P200,000 offered by the King’s family was increased to P500,000 by Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, who put up his own bounty.
Mayor Duterte rejected rumors circulating in Davao Friday night that the killing was related to illegal drugs.
“It has nothing to do with drugs. The police would not lie if it was,” Duterte told reporters.
Instead, he said, investigators were looking into several other angles, including King’s businesses in Davao, Cebu, Boracay, Makati and even in Palawan.
Davao City’s police chief earlier said the killing was planned well. /With a report from Chito Aragon
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