ICPO chief admits: Gun-for-hire financiers hard to get
Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) director Sr. Supt. Bartolome Tobias admitted that it is hard to pin down the financiers of gun-for-hire syndicates because of lack of solid evidences.
He said the "police holdings" are not substantial in the filing of cases against the alleged financiers of gun-for-hire groups.
Even intelligence information needs to be validated, Tobias said.
It was reported that gun-for-hire syndicates operate in the city but the identities of their financiers remain sealed.
Among the victims of gun-for-hire groups are Iloilo Provincial Fire Marshall Supt. Casiano del Castillo and PO2 Frederick Capasao.
Complaints have already been filed against the suspects in Del Castillo and Capasao's murder. However, the identities of those who paid a sum of money in exchange for their lives remained in the cachet. "The police have already formed a matrix regarding the transactions between the suspects and the financiers. It is a sensitive matter which should be made public," said Tobias.
In the case of Capasao, Tobias said, it is "drug related" considering his last assignment before he died. The suspect in Capasao's murder, Christopher Talamor, however denied any participation in the killing.
Tobias, also a lawyer, said an information based on intelligence report will not hold in court. It must be coupled with hard evidence. The investigators must dig deeper on whatever information they may receive. They have to closely check the report and personalities who allegedly financed and hired the services of gun-for-hire group. Usually, no suspect has directly named the supposed financiers.
Recently, the city police announced the creation of a group that will deal with gun-for-hire groups. The specialized group is headed by Supt. John Jamili. The group is composed of nine persons with background on intelligence and Special Weapon and Tactics (SWAT) trainings.