Fernandez names possible killers in FB post, police form SITG

Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) director Police Colonel Josefino Ligan. CDN Digital photo | Pegeen Maisie Sararaña

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu City police will be forming a Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) to focus on the killing of Cebuano lawyer Rex Jesus Fernandez including interrogating at least four individuals that the victim mentioned in a Facebook post as the ones who have wished him dead.

The controversial lawyer was gunned down in a daring ambush on Thursday, August 26 in Barangay Guadalupe here.

“Ang shooting incident ni Attorney Rex Fernandez falls on the parameters in the creation of SITG. I already have directed the station commander to request for the  creation of SITG-Fernandez kay daghan kaayog mga things to do para matapok ang nga circumstances sa iyang kamatayon labi na ang pag identify sa gunman,” said Police Colonel Josefino Ligan, Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) director.

(The shooting incident involving Attorney Rex Fernandez falls on the parameters in the creation of SITG. I already have directed the station commander to request for the creation of SITG-Fernandez since we still have lots of things to do and for us to gather all the possible circumstances of his death, especially in identifying the gunman.)

The SITG is composed of personnel from Guadalupe Police Station, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG-7), the City Intelligence Unit of CCPO, the Regional Intelligence Unit (RIU-7), and the Crime Laboratory.

Although Ligan said that the names mentioned by the victim in an FB post last August 19 are not persons of interest just yet, he said this angle will be carefully looked into.

Fernandez posted a status in his Facebook account wherein he mentioned at least four individuals whom he said have wished him dead. He even said that if he would be killed, the four should be held accountable for his death.

Ligan will sit as the SITG commander while the supervisor would be Police Lieutenant Colonel Wilbert Parilla, deputy director for operations of CCPO.

Ligan said that they have secured a security camera which he said is a big help as they now have initial details of the gunman including his physical features.

From the physical descriptions that they will gather, Ligan said they will create a sketch of the possible assailant. This will then be distributed and compared to their gallery.

For now, police are looking into the 64-year-old victim’s job as a lawyer and his personal life as possible motives for his shooting and untimely death.

Ligan added that they are also looking for more witnesses that could provide crucial information as well as closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage from nearby establishments that may have recordings before, during, and after the incident.

READ: Who is Atty. Rex Fernandez?

Included in their investigation is checking on the lawyer’s errands on that day.

Ligan said that it is still unclear why Fernandez was in the area given that the lawyer lived in Mandaue City. Starting from Fernandez’s itinerary that day, Ligan is hoping that they will be able to connect the dots.

Ligan added that as per their initial talk with Fernandez’s family, they learned that the lawyer has not received any death threats for the past few days.

Ligan added that the family believes the shooting incident has something to do with the victim’s job as a lawyer.

Based on the footage they recovered, Ligan said that the assailant could be a professional gun-for-hire.

“Kung sa kursunada, sobra ka kursunada kay ang area is populated, daghang tawo. Then, wala siyay attempt man lang to conceal his identity, facemask lang.Wala man gali ga helmet,” he said.

“During sa iyang pag exit nanion pa para lang makalahos. In short, sobra ka kursunada gyud. Possibly gun-for-hire gyud to. Sa pila lang ka minuto, nakapa burst sya og unom ka bala dayun, paspas kaayo,” Ligan added.

READ: NBI-7 to help probe killing of lawyer in Cebu City