Foul play sniffed in Suello’s death

THE Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 suspects there was foul play in the death of Cebuano lawyer Pepito Suello, who was found dead with seven empty bullet shells around him inside his SUV last Tuesday.

Initial investigation by the Malaybalay City Police in Bukidnon showed that the firing of the firearm could have been accidental, but PRO 7 Director Prudencio Tom Bañas finds it “unbelievable.”

“Ang nakakapagtaka, bakit umabot sa pitong empty shells ang nakita doon sa loob ng sasakyan kung accidental ang nangyari (Why did the recovered empty shells reached seven if the gun’s firing was accidental)?” he said.

The lawyer was driving his van toward Gremma Subdivision in Malaybalay City with fellow lawyer Alvie Damasco and police officer Fernando Macalintal Sese as his passengers when gunshots were heard shortly before 8 a.m.

Bañas said he had phoned Supt. Henry Dampal, chief of Malaybalay City police, to get regular updates on their investigation.

He said Dampal assured him that their investigation will continue until they get to the bottom of the incident and arrest the culprit, if it wasn’t an accident at all.

Shot

Dampal’s team earlier believed that the lawyer must have been shot by an assailant from the outside, but an examination to the car yesterday showed no evidence of such theory.

Reacting to the development, Bañas said the lawyer must have been killed by someone who was inside the car that time.

Lawyer Damasco, who was seated beside Suello, earlier said he did not see who fired the gun at Suello because he was sleeping.

The gunshots awakened him, but Sese was already out of sight.

Bañas said the PRO 7 is willing to help in the investigation by interviewing the victim’s family and relatives in Cebu on possible threats the lawyer received before his departure to Bukidnon.

Dampal, on the other hand, said a special investigation task group (SITG) has been created to speed up the investigation on the lawyer’s death.

Team

The SITG is composed of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-Bukidnon, PNP Crime Laboratory and Bukidnon Provincial Police Office.

When interviewed by Sun.Star Superbalita, Dampal did not discount the possibility that Bañas’s suspicion could be right.

He said they may consider Damasco and Alfredo as suspects.

“Mahulog nga ang atong suspek mao ra ang naa sa sulod sa sakyanan tungod kay ang pagpamusil nagikan man sa sulod sa sakyanan (We can’t suspect anybody other than the two, where inside the van),” he said.

Damasco had a parrafin test.

Suello’s van is still being checked for any evidence, he said.

Damasco said they recently interviewed the victim’s family, who then gave tips that could possibly help in their investigation.

A manhunt operation has been launched to find Sese, who has yet to surface since the incident happened.