Family, employees shocked by businessman’s killing
CEBU CITY—Richard King, chairman and chief executive officer of J. King and Sons Co. Inc., was to have presided over a management committee meeting in Cebu on Friday morning. The meeting pushed through but without King, 57, who was shot and killed by a lone gunman inside a building owned by him in Davao City Thursday evening.
According to Edward Tan, J. King and Sons head of marketing and communications, the meeting was presided over by King’s younger brother, Rafael, the company president.
The company later issued a statement that King’s five siblings as well as the corporate management team would continue all operations of J. King and Sons Co. Inc and its affiliate companies following the death of its chairman.
“We enjoin everyone to pray for the repose of the soul of Richard King. We also appeal to all concerned sectors, including the media, to await the investigation result of the case and refrain from hurling malicious lies and accusations about Richard King,” the statement said. “We are one with the family and friends of Richard King during this most difficult time, and urge the authorities to bring to justice the perpetrators of this heinous crime.”
The Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry issued a separate statement, expressing its condolences to King’s family.
“We believe the police will give this priority. We recognize his creative concept that is unique in the hotel industry which also created job opportunities,” the statement said.
Sources told the Inquirer that King’s family members were saddened, shocked and confused over his killing.
Tan said they were shocked when they learned what happened to King, whom he described as a strict father-figure to his employees.
King was described as “visionary” by his employees with whom he shared his plans and vision for the company.
Tan said King didn’t have any bodyguard and that he didn’t know if his boss had received death threats. He added they too were waiting for the result of the police investigation because they had no idea why anyone would want King dead.
He said what he knew was that King flew to Davao City to attend the culmination of a wellness training for Vital C Health Products Inc., also owned by King.
Tan and King last talked on Wednesday. King reportedly told Tan to see him on Friday for their mancom meeting.
King, a chemical engineer, was the eldest of six siblings. He is survived by his wife, Katherine and two children – both teenagers.
His father, Jesus King, owned several buildings and apartments in Cebu and Manila that were being rented out.
Tan said King had a vision to build motels where the rooms would be rented per hour or day unlike apartments that are rented by month.
King put up Prince Court in Mandaue City in the mid 1990s. Later, he built another motel, King’s Court, just in front of Prince Court.
This started King’s foray in the hospitality business.
Under the mother company, J. King and Sons, are several subsidiaries: Crown Regency Hotels and Resorts, Club Ultima, Fuente Triangle, First Laundry, Vital C Health Products Inc., Prana Medispa, Sky Experience Adventure, Prince Court Hotels and Suites, Metrosports Center, Ultima Sharp Shooters Club, among others.
The Sky Experience Adventure is among the recreational facilities at the 40-story Crown Regency Hotels and Towers, Cebu’s tallest building.
It includes the Sky Walk Extreme where guests walk on the main outer rim at the 37th floor of the hotel (126.55 meters from the street) – a first in the country.
Sky Experience also offers Edge Coaster where riders sit on rail seat that goes around the edge of the 38th floor of the hotel – another first of its kind.
Crown Regency Hotels and Towers is just one of the hotels under the Crown Regency Hotels and Resorts.
On the island resort of Boracay, the subsidiary owns three hotels—Crown Regency Prince Resort at Station 1, Crown Regency Resort and Convention Center at Station 2 and Crown Regency Beach Resort at Station 3.
Last year, King’s hotel was dragged into the killing of Dexter Condez, spokesperson of the Boracay Ati Tribal Organization who was gunned down on Feb. 22, 2013.
Daniel Celestino, security guard of Crown Regency Resort and Convention Center, was detained and charged with murder after he was identified as the gunman in the killing of Condez.
King had decried reports linking his hotel to the killing.
J. King and Sons Co. Inc is among those with boundary disputes or ownership claims over land covered by the tribe’s title.
The businessman also had his share of controversy in Cebu.
He had a public squabble with then Lapu-Lapu Mayor Arturo Radaza in 2007 over dispute on permits.
King accused Radaza of extortion, claiming that the attempt was caught on tape. Radaza fought back and filed a complaint for violation of Anti-Wiretapping Law and grave threats against King and brother Rafael.
