King family believes police got real killers but not mastermind yet

Gunman, 2 others nabbed; Confessions signed by Davao Police trace parties in grudge, business conflict who threatened King in Boracay

Will the capture of the alleged triggerman who shot dead Cebuano businessman Richard King in the Vital C Building in Davao lead to the real villain behind the attack? (PHOTO BY ROBINSON NIÑAL, JR)

He’s the gunman, but who hired him?

In a police lineup in Davao city, 24-year-old Paul Dave Colina Labang was positively identified as the one who shot and killed Cebuano businessman Richard Lim King  last June 12.

Arrested on Sunday in Davao with two others, the young man was  identified by at least four employees of King who were present in the Vital C Building where  the businessman was gunned down at 6:45 p.m. as he was about to have dinner with staff and guests during a company event.

Also arrested was Rommel de la Cerna, who allegedly did surveillance on King before the hit and Rodel dela Cerna, suspected driver of the gunman’s getaway motorcyle.

Single and jobless, Labang was arrested in barangay Maa, Davao with a .45 caliber ACP pistol and live ammunition in his possession, said Davao police.

A source close to the King family told Cebu Daily News they were convinced the three are the actual henchmen involved and not just fall guys.

“Definitely, yes, (these are the ones)” said the source, who is in Davao and privy to the  investigation as a confidante of the King family. CDN ask him if this was a genuine police apprehension.

The source said he spoke with the witnesses who confirmed Labang’s identity as the shooter. He also listened to the account of Labang and the arrested lookout  who “executed confession statements.”

The inquest proceedings continue today, he said.

A P1.3 million reward was offered for information leading to the capture of the killers, but the King family, which put up P1 million for the bounty, has yet to announce whether they are satisfied that the tipster who signaled the police would get it.

Criminal charges are being prepared for filing in court against Labang, said  Senior Supt. Joel Pernito, regional chief of the Eastern Mindanao Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit, in his report.

Efforts continue to uncover the mastermind and others who had a hand in the killing, he said.

MASTERMIND
However, police have the name of a suspect who had a personal grudge over a business conflict with King.

A consolidated report by the Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) said Davao police had spoken with several private individuals about a  “squabble” between King and the son of a business partner over mismanagement of the Crown Regency Resorts in Aklan, Boracay.

The suspect was heard arguing with King and making a verbal death threat: “Swerte lang ka kay wala ka sa Davao kay kung naa lang ka sa Davao, gipatay ta na ka.”  (You’re fortunate you  are not in Davao or else I would have killed you.)

According to the police report, King was in Davao on June 12 for another purpose –  to carry out the request of his business partner to oust  the suspect from the management of a family-owned construction firm in Davao, which had incurred a financial deficit of P150 million.

Cebu Daily News is withholding the suspect’s name until an arrest is made or charges are filed by the police.

POLICE ASSET?
Meanwhile, police sources told the Inquirer Mindanao bureau that  Rommel dela Cerna, the suspected lookout, was a police asset and that he  divulged that a police official ordered the murder.

Davao Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, in a peace and order council meeting last  Thursday, vowed that King’s murder would be solved by the local police.

The mayor and Davao police  were under pressure to come up with developments in the murder case, which Duterte earlier said had nothing to do with illegal drugs. Police released a computer-generated face sketch of the gunman a few days after the June 12 violence.

His features were easy to describe as the gunman did not wear a mask or hat and the shooting took place in front of many witnesses who saw him walk up from behind and fire at King in the head.

King was chief executive officer of J. King and Sons, which owns the  Crown Regency Group of Hotels and Vital C, a health products company, among his various business ventures.

He also  was also president of Fuente Triangle Realty Development Corp. and founder./BenCyrus Ellorin, Eileen Mangubat, Inquirer Mindanao and Correspondent Chito Aragon