Contributed Photo via Paul Lauro
CEBU CITY, Philippines– Police are investigating if the death threat allegedly received by San Fernando Vice Mayor Ricci Regens Reluya is similar to what the Baringui-an couple got a few hours before they were killed.
The couple was gunned down by five suspects in bonnets inside their house in Sitio Tapok-Tapok, Barangay Panadtaran, San Fernando town last February 13, 2022.
“Maoy estorya sa anak nga si Sherwin nga nadungog kuno niya nga nisulti iyang mama nga apil sa gibaharan, namention nga ngan is si Vice Mayor. Pero atoa pa na nga i validate kung unsa ka tinuod, so far wa pa tay lig-on nga proof. Sumala lang na sa testimonya ug alegasyon sa anak nga si Sherwin,” Police Senior Master Sergeant Herbert Pananganan, chief investigor of San Fernando Police Station said.
(This is according to what Sherwin has heard when her mother said that included in those who received the death threat is the Vice Mayor. But we are yet to validate its veracity, so far, we have no strong proof for this. This is only based on the testimony of the couple’s son, Sherwin.)
READ: San Fernando cops looking into ‘warnings’ received by slain couple
However, Pananganan admitted that they have a hard time locating the phone number used by the person who called Ma. Louela “Malou” Baringui-an, the slain councilwoman of Barangay Balungag prior to the incident as the phone that she was using at that time can no longer be found.
Pananganan believes that the phone was among the items taken by the suspects when they fled the crime scene along with some money and jewelry.
He added that they are yet to coordinate with the vice mayor over this as they are now focussing their investigation on the couple’s murder.
Pananganan added that those behind the death threats that Malou received could be the ‘military men’ responsible for killing her and her husband, Pedro.
READ: San Fernando kagawad, husband killed; witnesses saw 5 gunmen in bonnets
He said they will have to talk to the vice mayor to know if indeed he has received any death threats.
On the possibility that this could be election-related, Pananganan said they first need to look deeper into the case to be able to make such a conclusion.
“Ang politika, as of the moment, dili kaayo namo priority kay taphaw pa ang kaso, wa pami basehanan,” Pananganan added.
(Politics, as of the moment, is not our top priority because we do not have enough information on the case, we don’t have basis yet.)
P1M cash, jewelry
Also, Pananganan said that they are focusing their investigation now on personal grudge and robbery as the possible motives. He said that on a personal grudge angle, they are still conducting background checks regarding previous incidents involving the couple as well as their alleged involvement in “online sabong”.
On the robbery side, the family of the victims told police that the suspects took P1million cash from their parents as well as pieces of jewelry and other valuable items.
Pananganan said that he has no information yet on the total worth of the jewelry that was taken from the murdered couple. /rcg
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