Police ready raps vs. suspects in Gulanes ambush
Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) director Senior Supt. Melvin Mongcal said they are set to file charges against the three suspects who shot dead George Gulanes and wounded his wife Ronelyn.
Mongcal said the suspects were identified by Ronelyn through the pictures taken from the police rogues gallery. The victim has already issued a sworn statement identifying the suspects.
“Necessary police protection was extended to Ronelyn considering the gravity of the threat on her life,” said Mongcal.
He did not identify the three suspects but said the three are members of a “gun for hire” group. The police have already established a fact that certain amount of money was paid in exchange for the couple’s death with the identities of the suspects.
The police were a given deadline by Mayor Jerry Treñas to solve the case. The closest angle in the crime is the couple’s lending business.
It was learned police will file cases of murder, frustrated murder and malicious mischief against the suspects relative to the Gulanes incident. George died of fatal gunshot wounds on his body.
He tried to escape when the suspects shot and chased their pick up vehicle. However, the pick up bumped a taxi cab which happened to pass by the subdivision. The suspects also pointed their guns to the taxi driver.
The couple along with their 14-year old daughter were ambushed by two motorcycle riding gunmen as they were about to go out of San Paolo subdivision. The teen-ager whom the couple is going to bring to school was spared from bullets.
Though the police have identified the suspects, they have yet to identify who ordered the ambush. Once the suspects are apprehended, the police can extract information, Mongcal said.
The police could establish the linkage between the perpetrators and the mastermind. The focus of the probe right now is to file cases against the suspects. Probers will amend its complaint as soon as new evidence and witnesses surface.
Meanwhile, Mayor Jerry Treñas once again instructed the police to ensure the arrest of the suspect in all the crimes ranging from the Gulanes suspect, Bukas Kotse Gang and other crimes which caught the attention of the public and the Iloilo Business Club (IBC).
A maximum police visibility and daily checkpoints in all entry and exit points in the city was also ordered by the chief executive as crime preventive measures.