Police identify persons of interest in attack vs. Loot

Police are not rushing the investigation on the attempt to kill Daanbantayan Mayor Vicente Loot, saying they want to get conclusive results.

Cebu Provincial Police Office Director Manuel Javier Abrugena said they are looking for more witnesses as they noticed inconsistencies in some accounts.

He said the investigators of Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) Maya, which was formed to solve the case, had identified “persons of interest” who may have involvement in the attack last May 13 in New Maya Port in Daanbantayan.

Abrugena refused to divulge the possible suspects’ identities as it might affect the ongoing investigation.

Loot reportedly linked an active police officer in the slay-attempt, but Abrugena said the mayor did not mention it in his affidavit submitted to SITG Maya.

During the attack, which happened a day before the May 14 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections, four persons were wounded, including Loot’s three employees.

Loot was with his family at the time. They came from Barangay Logon, Malapascua.

Loot, retired police general, said there were no police in the port.

The mayor was still in the pump boat when the gunmen opened fire.

The masked armed men, who were clad in shorts and longsleeved sweat shirts were reportedly heard speaking Tagalog.

Meanwhile, Abrugena promised to deploy additional personnel in Daanbantayan Police Station.

The police recruits, he said, will help maintain peace in the northern Cebu town.

Abrugena further said there are ten towns in Cebu that need more police officers and the problem will soon be solved with the new personnel from Police Regional Office 7.