Ungabs to turn over phone to cops
The bereaved wife of slain former Ronda Vice Mayor and lawyer Jonnah John Ungab clarified it was not her intention to hamper investigators from searching the cellphone where threats were reportedly recorded prior to the ambush last February 19.
“We are very willing to cooperate and provide what they need. We have agreed already to give them the copy of the death threats and other information that they need because we want this case to be solved,” Ungab’s wife, Pearl, said in a phone interview with The FREEMAN.
However, she said they could not afford to lose custody of the cellphone right now because several clients of her husband reportedly kept calling.
“Daghan kayo clients manawag, magsige update regarding sa ilang cases, sige ring, mao gihatag sa nila (investigators from NBI-7),” she said.
Right now, she said they are still trying to answer calls from clients of the slain lawyer.
The cellphone was spared to undergo a forensic examination, a procedure done to trace calls, texts and other data, embedded in the internal storage of a mobile phone.
She added that as a grieving wife, the cellphone was the least of her priority as she had other pressing matters to attend to.
Pearl said she went to the homicide office of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) Friday afternoon to check for updates on the case.
She said that they agreed to give copies of the death threats, so investigators would at least have a lead to the two persons of interest, who are still at large.
Based on previous accounts, the lawyer was shot by two unidentified assailants after the promulgation of his highprofile client, self-confessed drug lord Kerwin Espinosa, at the Cebu City Palace of Justice.
Pearl, who was by his side, was not hurt during the attack along S. Osmeña Street.
She said that she only recently knew that homicide investigators from the CCPO would also need the cellphone.
“Karon pa ko nakahibaw nga nanginahanglan pud diay sila ana kay kausa ra mi nagkita ana nila,” she said.
Pearl added that shortly during the wake, investigators from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI)-7 have also requested for the copies of the death threats.
It was during the family’s first media appearance that Pearl confirmed that on the day of the incident, her husband received a text message saying whether he would choose his life or his client.
She said that barely a week after the funeral of her late husband, in Ronda last February 25, she and her six children are still trying to cope with the incident. She said they have no time to mourn, as they have to keep moving forward.
“Lisod pa ron, we are coping up. We have to move on since don’t have time to mourn,” she said.
She added that they are satisfied with the progress of the investigation and wishes for authorities to keep the same desire to solve the case.
The CCPO has formed the Task Force Ungab composed of several police units who are dedicated to solve the case.
The police are eyeing three motives – personal, professional and politics.
They are also convincing bystanders turned witness to execute an affidavit for the filing of appropriate charges.
According to Senior Inspector Jonathan Taneo, spokesperson of the Task Force, they are still conducting a thorough background investigation on personalities allegedly involved in gun-for-hire activities.
Taneo said though that the names of the persons monitored are kept confidential, for security purposes.
“We are still on the conduct pa gihapon sa background investigation og profiling aning identity sa mga persons of interest nato through pag-check aning mga certain personalities involved in gun-for-hire activities, di lang sa namo pwede madivulge ang names as of now, for security purposes,” Taneo said.