THE POLICE are looking into the possibility that an extortion gang was behind the killing of a 50-year-old hotel owner in Mandaluyong City on Monday afternoon.
Lilian Yap Chua, a Chinese-Filipino, was shot dead by a still unidentified man in the canteen of Transient Hotel on Boni Avenue, in Barangay Plainview, shortly past 1 p.m., according to Mandaluyong police chief, Senior Supt. Joaquin Alva.
Case investigator PO3 Donald Bañes, said the gunman, who was wearing a gray T-shirt, blue denim pants and a black ball cap, entered the canteen and ordered food.
When Chua arrived 30 minutes later, he approached her and shot her twice before fleeing.
Bañes said one of the hotel employees disclosed that they earlier received a text message on the company phone in June asking them to cough up P300,000.
The sender was a certain “Bob Santos,” who said he was the leader of the Jimboy Santos group and asked for the owner of the cell phone.
“We’re asking you for a little help. I hope you won’t turn us down because I know you can afford it in exchange for the company’s security and your life. We need P300,000. It’s up to you to determine how much to give the group,” the message read.
But the message was then dismissed as a prank, the police said. Jodee A. Agoncillo
Man hacked to death in Mandaluyong room
A 32-YEAR-OLD real estate agent was hacked to death inside his rented room in Mandaluyong City, police said.
The body of Ronaldo Robligado Sto. Tomas, a tenant on Sinag Street, Barangay Mauway, was already decomposing and wrapped in a deflated air bed when found around 2:30 p.m.
Monday, according to Senior Supt. Joaquin Alva, the city police chief. Sto. Tomas, who suffered hack wounds in his head, was last seen alive Wednesday last week, said the investigator PO3 Gregorio Acbay.
He had a male roommate, reportedly his boyfriend, who was last spotted Sunday night when he went to their room to get their stove, Acbay added.
Investigators said the victim’s wallet and cell phone had gone missing from the room. Sto. Tomas’ body was brought to Quiogue Funeral Parlor on C. Raymundo Avenue, Pasig City, for autopsy. Jodee A. Agoncillo