Cops still probing Eastern Samar town dad slay

PALO, Leyte, Sept. 11  – Police authorities in Mercedes, Eastern Samar said they were still trying to secure witnesses to the killing of a town councilor there more than two weeks ago.

Mercedes town police head Chief Insp. Manuel Nayad said the assailant of Mercedes town Councilor Antonio Abris remains unidentified.

The victim was attending a fiesta celebration in Sung-an village when a gunman attacked him.

“There is a possibility that the gunman is not from Mercedes because no one recognized him, even those witnesses who saw him on August 25 at the venue before the crime,” Nayad said on Monday.

Nayad said they cannot rule out that the killing is politically-motivated.

“We are still looking at several angles and not just politics. Investigators are doing backtracking to know the routine of the victims before the crime happened,” Nayad added.

Backtracking is important to trace the victim’s whereabouts and routine before the incident for investigators to have a clear picture of the crime, said Eastern Visayas police Regional Director Chief Supt. Dionardo Carlos.

“We need to know the history of the suspect through backtracking for us to see if the crime is work-related or a personal grudge. All this angle will be looked into by the investigator so that we can determine motive of killing, identify the suspect then file charges against them,” Carlos said.

“There should be solid evidence against the suspect for the charges to prosper in court that is why I told the investigators of Mercedes PNP to make it thorough,” he added.

The killing of Abris is the first incident in Mercedes town involving a town councilor, which the police considers as an isolated incident.(RTA/PNA)