Scene of Crime and Operatives (SOCO) gather evidence at the site in Barangay Basak Pardo, Cebu City where Ritchie “Miles” Nepomuceno, 35, was killed by a still unidentified gunmen on April 19, 2021. | File Photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The gun that Police Staff Sergeant Celso Colita used to kill himself was different from the gun that was used in the April 19 murder of Ritchie “Miles” Nepomuceno.
Police Colonel Josefino Ligan, director of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), said that the ballistics test result clears Colita of possible involvement in the killing of Miles who earlier accused him of rape and other abuses.
“Kato nga ebidensya scientific evidence to, to corroborate unta sa pagka person of interest ni Colita. Medyo na eliminate na siya slightly sa pagka person of interest niya,” Ligan said.
(That was a piece of scientific evidence that could have corroborated Colita’s being person of interest [in Miles’ murder]. But [test results] instead, eliminated him as a person of interest.)
Still, Ligan said that they will continue to investigate Miles’ death.
He said that they are now in touch with her husband, Danilo Nepomuceno, to secure his sworn statement as they pursue love triangle and illegal drugs as possible motives in her killing.
“Ang atoang motibo nga gisundan gyud ron is illegal nga drugas, na complicate ni sa love triangle. Mao na nga importante to nga makuha ang statement sa husband ni Miles,” Ligan said.
(The motive that we are now pursuing is illegal drugs that became complicated because of love triangle. That is why it is important for us to secure the statement of Miles’ husband.)
Ligan said that Miles was involve in the illegal drugs trade because of her common-law partner, a drug personality in Cebu, who is now detained at the city jail in barangay Kalunasan for peddling shabu.
“Basically, Miles Nepomuceno is a bodegera and banker sa illegal drug transactions sa iyang live-in partner, iyang uyab nga naa sa city jail,”
(Basically, Miles Nepomuceno is a caretaker and banker of the illegal drugs transaction of her live-in partner, who is now detained at the city jail.)
But Ligan refused to name the drug personality saying that they continue to investigate his case in order to identify his other cohorts.
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