Police Lieutenant Colonel Franc Rudolf Oriol, MCPO deputy city director for operations and spokesperson.
MANDAUE CITY, Philippines — Frustrated murder charges have already been filed against the two suspects in the Sept. 1 ambush of lawyer Karen Quiñanola-Gonzales and her 19-year-old son in Barangay Tipolo, Mandaue City.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Franc Rudolf Oriol, Mandaue City Police Office (MCPO) deputy city director for operations and spokesperson said they filed the cases for two counts of frustrated murder last September 16 before the Mandaue City Prosecutors’ Office.
The identified suspects are Richard Basalo Delibo a.k.a “Coach Ricky,” 42 years old, resident of Sitio Mahogany in Naga, Cebu, and a certain John Doe.
Oriol said the suspects were identified through the closed circuit television (CCTV) footage that the police collected as well as statements from witnesses.
Personal Grudge
Oriol said that based on their investigation, Delibo who was the gunman had a personal grudge against Atty. Quinañola-Gonzales.
Oriol said that Gonzales handled an estafa case against the suspect last year that resulted in the issuance of a warrant for his arrest.
Delibo was arrested in Metro Manila last year but was able to post bail for his temporary release.
Because of the issuance of his warrant, his job as a swimming instructor and his business involving swimming classes and other wellness training were affected, said Oriol.
Aside from the case filed by Quinañanola-Gonzales, the suspect is also facing other estafa complaints from other individuals, he said.
Oriol said though that he cannot discuss the estafa complaints against Delibo as they are still being heard in the court.
Currently, Oriol said that they have yet to locate the whereabouts of Delibo but believed that the suspect is still in Cebu.
He said that Quinañanola-Gonzales is still recuperating from her injuries. The lawyer was shot between her jaw and neck but was able to survive. /rcg
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