Still no leads on Samar mayor’s killing

CALBAYOG CITY, Philippines—The police have yet to come up with a single lead in the killing of Mayor Reynaldo Uy, despite the order of President Aquino for speedy justice.

The police were optimistic that witnesses would come out and provide information on the identity of the gunman now that the reward money had been increased from P200,000 to P1 million.

The cash reward was put up by the Department of Interior and Local Government and the Philippine National Police with the approval of the President, said Chief Supt. Arnold Revilla, police director for Eastern Visayas.

He admitted that the investigators had yet to have a breakthrough on the identity of the gunman who killed Uy while the mayor was watching a cultural presentation inside a covered court in Hinabangan town, Samar, on Saturday night.

The police also had not established the motive in the killing although several angles were being looked into including politics.

“Internal conflict” within Uy’s camp could be another angle, Revilla said.

Mr. Aquino, who was accompanied by former Sen. Manuel Roxas II, arrived in Calbayog City 8:10 a.m. on Thursday to visit the wake of Uy, a loyal member of the Liberal Party.

The President talked to Uy’s widow, Josephine and his children.