UPDATE: Cops track down 4 persons of interest in ambush of DOLE employee

MANILA, Philippines — Police are tracking down four persons of interest in the killing of an employee of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) in Malate.

In a press conference on Thursday, Manila Police District (MPD) acting chief Brig. Gen. Bernabe Balba said two alleged gunmen and two other accomplices were tracked down through a closed circuit television (CCTV) footage.

“Our persons of interest are two unidentified armed men on board a motorcycle, color and blue and gray with unknown license plate and another two unidentified male persons of interest. They are all at large,” Balba said.

Helen Asuncion Dacanay, 59, DOLE Labor Employment Officer, was shot dead just a few meters away from the DOLE Field Office along Malvar Street.

Balba said the gunmen were wearing blue bull caps during the ambush.

Another person of interest, wearing a red shirt, waited outside of the DOLE office and pointed Dacanay’s vehicle to the gunmen, Balba said.

Meanwhile, the fourth person of interest was a “back-up driver” for the gunmen.

Brig. Gen. Debold Sinas, National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) acting director, appealed to the public to help in their case as witnesses failed to identify the persons of interest.

“We are requesting the public, first the media, to have it more disseminated para kung may nakakakilala matunton lalo na kung nasaan sila at kung sino sila (We are requesting the public, first the media, to have it more disseminated so we may be able to identify who they are],” Sinas said during the press briefing.

“Kailangan namin ang tulong niyo para mapabilis ang pag-solve sa shooting incident ni Ms. Dacanay [We need your help to swiftly solve the shooting incident of Ms. Dacanay],” he added.

Sinas said they are tagged as persons of interest as they have not yet been identified. Sinas said they will be identified as suspects once they get the testimonies of these persons of interests.

No motive yet

Asked if there is motive behind the killing, Sinas said police should first identify the persons of interest to get any information on the mastermind.

“Usually, pagkakuha natin nung shooter , they might reveal something kung sino naghire o nagutos sa kanila, [who hired or commanded them to kill the victim],” he said.

Sinas said they are currently reviewing additional documents from DOLE to study possible links in the killing of Dacanay.

Balba noted that according to the victim’s family, Dacanay did not receive any death threats.

MPD also asked the public to give them any confidential information that may lead to the arrest of persons of interest. MPD’s task group for Dacanay’s case may be contacted at 09260643297 and 09393248633. /muf

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1185619/dole-employee-killed-in-malate-ambush