Reward offered for HR exec’s killers

MANILA, Philippines–A reward of P200,000 has been put up for any information that will lead to the arrest of the killers of a construction firm’s human resources manager.

Menchu Gochingco of Monolith Construction and Development Corp. was shot dead as she was driving her car on Panay Avenue, Barangay (village) Paligsahan in Quezon City at 6:10 p.m. last Thursday.

According to the Quezon City Police District (QCPD), the 42-year-old Gochingco had just left work and was on her way home to Sta. Mesa Heights in Barangay Maharlika when she was ambushed by four men on two motorcycles.

QCPD Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit (CIDU) homicide section chief Insp. Elmer Monsalve said that the victim’s car was stuck in heavy traffic when a man walked up to her vehicle and fired at her repeatedly.

The gunman then boarded a red motorcycle driven by an accomplice. They fled along with two other motorcycle-riding men who were believed to have acted as lookouts.

Gochingco was rushed to Capitol Medical Center for treatment but she died due to multiple gunshot wounds at 7:15 p.m.

Her death prompted Monolith Construction to offer a P200,000 cash reward for any information leading to the identification and arrest of her attackers, QCPD director Senior Supt. Joel Pagdilao said.

Pagdilao, quoting witnesses, said the gunman appeared to be in his 40s with Oriental features and a fair complexion. The driver of the red motorcycle, on the other hand, was described as around 50 years old, chubby, and with brown complexion.

In a press conference on Friday, Pagdilao released the composite sketches of two of the suspects. He said the QCPD-CIDU was looking into the angle that Gochingco’s death was related to her work or due to personal reasons. When pressed, he declined to go into detail to avoid jeopardizing the ongoing investigation.

Six cartridges from a .45-cal. firearm were recovered from the crime scene and would undergo ballistics examination, Pagdilao added.