Task force formed, reward money up for Cruz's killers
ROXAS CITY – Capiz Provincial Police Office has formed Task Force Art Cruz to probe the killing and the possible arrest of the four suspects who killed Mr. Arturo Cruz last Thursday evening here.
Sr. Supt. Jusephus Angan is the group commander of the task force while Sr. Inspector Leo Batiles is the deputy commander.
Cruz, a staff of 1st District Cong. Antonio del Rosario, was gunned down by four suspects around 9:45 p.m. on May 7 along the Boulevard. He sustained three gunshot wounds on the head and wrist.
Cruz was believed to have escaped from his attackers but was chased until he reached the rice field. He managed to return back to the road where he was found dead.
Recovered from the scene of incident were 2 slippers and Honda motorcycle owned by the victim.
Rep. Del Rosario offered P100,000 as reward to those who can reveal the identifies of the suspects as he assured the protection of the witnesses under the protection program of the government.
Earlier, Batiles told The News Today (TNT) that two witnesses have signified their intention to cooperate with the police in solving the case.
He said that two witnesses coming from a restaurant in Baybay also took shelter at the waiting shed where they saw four persons. They also said that one of the suspects was having a conversation at his cell phone.
Minutes later, Cruz arrived who then had a heated conversation with the four suspects. Witnesses overheard the suspects asking Cruz to pay his debt or to have their share from something however, Cruz seemed to refuse them.
The witnesses also said that they saw a car which stopped at the scene of incident with the driver, purportedly a cousin of Cruz, inviting the latter to take a ride but Cruz refused because he has a motorcycle.
When the witnesses were about to leave the waiting shed, they advised Cruz to leave the area since the four persons seem to be under the influence of liquor.
They also said that they saw a black Sportivo car parked near the scene of incident which they presume as the vehicle of the suspects.