Killers use spotter

Police investigators are eyeing at least two persons of interest in the murder of Ronda vice mayor and lawyer Jonah John Ungab last Monday.

Senior Inspector Jonathan Taneo, spokesperson of Task Force Ungab, said they now have the closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage showing one of the gunmen and the alleged spotter who was tailing the victim inside the Qimonda building, which houses the Cebu City Hall of Justice.

Taneo said the task force already has the facial identity of the spotter but the man is yet to be identified.

The spotter was caught on CCTV tailing Ungab while inside the building. The spotter was seen in the video signaling two unidentified persons when the lawyer left the building on board his car.

"The gunman before he proceeded to shoot the victim, naa siya'y gitawagan sa cellphone," Taneo said.

Footages from Qimonda's surveillance cameras covered everything inside and outside of building, including the areas outside the gates.

Based on the video, investigators noticed a man inside the building and outside of its entry and exit points. The man was also seen beside Ungab's car when the victim stopped to fetch his wife.

"Nakita sa CCTV nga niagi ang sakyanan sa victim unya present siya. Naa siya sa area pagkaagi sa sakyanan. Before that, naa siya sa sulod sa premises sa building," Taneo said.

The alleged spotter was seen in the video checking the hood and the trunk of the car, suggesting that he was verifying the model and the type of vehicle the victim was driving. He was seen with his left hand holding a cellphone. In another video, the gunman was also seen holding a cellphone.

"While niadto ang sakyanan sa building present pud siya, holding a cellphone ug naay katawag. At the same time nilihok siya, as if nagverify siya sa sakyanan sa biktima. All at the same time the gunman was outside holding also a cellphone," Taneo said.

When the lawyer's car was about to turn left heading to the highway, the gunman ran towards the vehicle and fired at the driver at close range before casually walking away and boarded the waiting getaway vehicle.

"As of now amo giverify ang identity sa person of interest nato, within those present sa premises during the incident," Taneo said.

He said they have coordinated with local police units as well as the local government units to get additional details that will help identify the two persons of interest.

MOTIVES

Although the family wants investigators to focus on politics as possible motive, Taneo said they are not ruling out the other angles like drugs and personal yet.

"Before nisulti ang family ana kay naapil naman nato sa factor ang political part. Equal lang gihapon ang atong tan-aw," Taneo said.

The task force is asking the family to understand the gradual process in the investigation.

Taneo assured that they are doing their best to bring the culprits before the bar of justice, saying that there will be no fall guy in this case.

Ungab was shot and killed shortly before noon on Monday on S. Osmeña Boulevard. He had just finished attending the promulgation of the case of his client, Kerwin Espinosa, who was convicted for violation of the Comelec gun ban.

Ungab had been named by President Rodrigo Duterte as among the narcopoliticians in the country. In fact, he was included in the criminal complaint that Chief Inspector Jovie Espenido, former Albuera, Leyte chief of police, for alleged drug peddling. The complaint was dismissed by the Department of Justice for lack of evidence.

Ungab, aside from being Espinosa's lawyer, was also the defense counsel for suspected drug lord Alvaro Alvaro alias Barok and Kenneth Dong, a businessman who owns a bar in Mandaue City and among those involved in the P6.4 billion drug shipment from China intercepted by the Bureau of Customs in Manila.

His family, however, said that Ungab's association with the known drug personalities was purely professional. Ungab's older brother, Jonald Gracio, was quoted in earlier reports that politics could be the motive behind the killing.

Jonald said his brother was planning to run for mayor in the next elections. —