Ouano sis receives text death threats

A younger sister of murdered businessman Antonio Ouano yesterday sought help from Mandaue City police, saying  she received death threats on her mobile phone.

Vilma Ouano, accompanied by her lawyer Inocentes  Fernandez, told Senior Insp. Rex Lomente, chief of the  Investigation and Detection Management Branch, that she needs their help to identify people behind threatening text messages sent to her.

Lomente said Vilma didn’t ask for police security escorts, though.

Lawyer Rex Fernandez said the messages Vilma received right after the ambush were   offensive.

He said the threats  “could be elevated to anything. It is a threat and it is crude. We suspect someone but suspicion is all we have.”

Vilma said she would give more information in an affidavit that  could possibly help in the investigation of her brother’s death.

“Vilma is not a suspect although it’s  public knowledge that there is a pending case,” Rex said.

Vilma had filed two cases against her late brother at the Regional Trial Court in Central Visayas in a dispute over property.

Antonio was on his way to a hearing of the case  when he was ambushed on July 22 near the Cebu International Convention Center at the North Reclamation Area in Mandaue City.

IDMB investigator SPO1 Dexter Martin told Cebu Daily News that as of 6 p.m. yesterday Vilma didn’t come back yet to  give her affidavit.

Lomente said he would wait for Vilma’s affidavit before taking action.

Antonio, who operated the family-run Ouano Wharf in Mandaue, had several business enterprises.  The Ouanos are one of the oldest and wealthiest clans in Mandaue City.

A man arrested last week by police was not identified as the gun-for-hire in the Ouano slay.

Lomente said 26-year-old Dwight Carmelotes who was  arrested in barangay Cubacob, Mandaue City, was turned over to the Toledo City police station after he was not identified by the two witnesses.