MANILA, Philippines—Police are now keeping an eye on different spots in Metro Manila in the hopes of apprehending the stepson of an Asian Development Bank economist suspected of involvement in the shooting death of a son of a Malacañang official.

Chief Inspector Benjamin Elenzano Jr of the Quezon City Police District’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit however refused to divulge the areas under surveillance for Jason Ivler, 27.

“What I can say is that we are watching three spots in Metro Manila which are supposedly places where the suspect has been sighted in the past,” he said in a phone interview on Saturday.

Ivler, stepson of Briton Stephen Pollard of the Asian Development Bank, has been eyed as a suspect in the death of Renato Victor Ebarle Jr, 27, son of Palace chief of staff Renato Ebarle Sr.

Elenzano said they have not yet spotted Ivler in any of the three areas under surveillance.

“Nor have we spotted the vehicle used in the shooting. We are hoping to spot the vehicle and Ivler together. But we suspect that the blue Honda CRV used has already been hidden,” he added.

Pollard, 58, is the registered owner of the blue Honda CRV with diplomatic plate 20903, which Ivler was reportedly driving when he allegedly shot killed the younger Ebarle on Wednesday night.

Ivler is the son of Pollard’s wife, Marlene Aguilar, from a previous marriage. Marlene is a sister of singer Freddie Aguilar.

The younger Ebarle, a recruitment manager at the Manila Peninsula Hotel, was driving a Toyota Land Cruiser on Santolan Road at 11 p.m. Wednesday when he almost collided with Ivler’s vehicle.

A policeman, the lone witness to the incident, initially identified Ivler as the driver of the vehicle but told investigators that the man he saw that night was burlier and more muscled than the young Ivler he was shown in photos.

“The witness told us that he is having second thoughts and that he wished to see a more recent photo of Ivler, or in person, for the witness to be able to positively identify him,” Elenzano said.

The police are still conducting a Metro Manila wide manhunt for Ivler, who has not surfaced since the day of the shooting.

Ivler was charged in court for an August 2004 car accident on the C5-Ortigas flyover that killed then presidential adviser for resettlement Nestor Ponce and was arrested in Zamboanga City the same year.

Ponce was killed while his wife and another passenger were hurt when Ivler’s Toyota Land Cruiser leapt over the center island of the C-5 Ortigas flyover and slammed into Ponce’s Isuzu Trooper.

Ivler, an American citizen, was charged with reckless imprudence resulting in homicide, serious physical injuries and damage to property in a Pasig City court.

Asked how Ivler could have procured a gun even with a case pending against him, Elenzano said they have forwarded a verification request to Camp Crame to find out if Ivler has a licensed gun.

“We are expecting to have the results in by Monday,” Elenzano said, adding investigators were looking for other people who may have seen the shooting.

Elenzano said police will observe operational procedures should they encounter the suspect, whom they assume to be armed and dangerous.

“Our policemen are ready to retaliate should the suspect fight back when we bring him in,” he said.