Manila police looking at four persons of interest in shooting of labor official

November 7, 2019

Officials from the Manila Police District (MPD) on Thursday said they are looking at four persons of interest in the killing of senior labor official Helen Dacanay on Monday.

“Our persons of interest are two unidentified armed persons on board a motorcycle with unknown licensed plate and another two unidentified persons of interest,” said Police Brigadier General Bernabe Balba, MPD chief, in a press briefing.

Balba said these persons of interest are still at large.

During the presentation of CCTV footage they gathered, one of the four persons of interest was roaming and entering the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) building prior to the incident.

“These still shots were taken from 50 CCTVs… You can see that the vehicle driven by the victim left DOLE office and the persons of interest are waiting there… (when) the vehicle of the victim passes Benitez Street, the pointer can be seen following them,” said Balba.

It was also found out the two suspects who ambushed Dacanay left their motorcycle in one of the nearby streets after committing the crime and returned to that place and from there rode a tricycle.

“After the incident, the pointer turned around and went back towards Malvar-Benitez Street,” he said.

“(The) motorcycle used by the suspects was driven by the two persons of interest and went towards Quirino Avenue,” said Balba.

He said the tricycle they rode is the subject of a follow-up operation.

The MPD chief said a policeman was able to talk to the shooter and his companion.

Authorities are still investigating on what could be the motive for Dacanay’s death since she has not received any threats nor has enemies in the office.

“Based from interview conducted by our investigators to the family of the victim, there is no threat received by the victim,” said Balba.Ella Dionisio/DMS

He added that the cellphone of Dacanay is already at the Philippine National Police- Anti-Cybercrime Group for examination.

Asked about the testimony of the lawyer who is with the victim during the time of incident, Balba said she already gave her testimony and they will try to ask her about the features of the suspect once she recovers.

“The incident is so fast that she did not see their faces,” he said.

According to the acting director of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), the purpose of the presentation is to show the features of the persons of interest.

“No one has identified them so we are requesting the public to inform us about their identities and location… we need your help for us to immediately solve this shooting incident,” Police Brigadier General Debold Sinas said.

Sinas said their focus is to identify the four persons of interest and they have a separate team that is reviewing any additional documents that DOLE will provide in order for them to determine the motive on the killing.

“We are after now the identities of the shooters first because usually when we found the shooter, they might reveal who hire them to kill the victim,” he said.

Right now, the MPD has already a witness on the incident but they still need to convince the other witnesses seen in the CCTV footages.

“They still need convincing because they are afraid,” said Sinas.

Sinas said the four persons spotted in the CCTV is not yet suspects since they need to identify them first.

“Once we found it (the identities) and get their testimony and have this CCTV validated as part of our evidence- because there is a procedure then they can become the main suspects,” he explained.

Dacanay was killed while she was on board her vehicle last November 4. Ella Dionisio