Ferdinand “Enzo” Pastor INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—Police have become extra careful in divulging leads on the case of slain racing champion Ferdinand “Enzo” Pastor.
President Benigno Aquino III, in his State of the Nation Address (Sona) on Monday, assured that justice for Pastor is already underway, noting that authorities are “currently following a strong lead” in the murder case.
“We cannot disclose anything right now until such time so as not to jeopardize the filing of charges (against the suspects),” National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Police Director Carmelo Valmoria told INQUIRER.net in a phone interview.
Pastor, who had just come from a racing competition in Batangas, was shot by a masked gunman on a motorcycle at a Quezon City intersection last June 12.
Prior to the Sona, INQUIRER.net also sought the comment of Quezon City Police District (QCPD) spokesperson Senior Inspector Maricar Taqueban who said: “We already have leads but we can’t reveal it as of now as it would pre-empt our investigation.”
“But the higher-ups had information already, we cannot just release it right now,” Taqueban said in Filipino.
Asked if the motive behind the murder was related to Pastor’s profession as a car racer, the police spokesperson just said “we cannot answer that yet.”
Days after his killing, the QCPD formed a seven-man investigating team to focus on the murder of Pastor.
The case prompted Interior Secretary Mar Roxas to order the Philippine National Police to form special investigation teams to look into such high-profile cases, including the murder of hotel chain owner Richard King in Davao City.
Last week, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte offered P1-million bounty for the capture of the suspects.
Duterte claimed he is a friend of the slain racer’s father.
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