BACOLOD CITY, Negros Occidental, Philippines – A week after the murder of Capitol consultant and businessman Mariano Antonio “Marton” Cui III, a special police probe team has identified only three vans and has recovered four cigarette butts, and a cartridge, all of which could unlock the mysterious slay of Cui.
“Puzzling,” was how Lt. Abegail Donasco, provincial police information officer, described the murder that took place in the northern Negros city of San Carlos, around 65 kilometers north from here.
Donasco told DNX the Special Investigation Task Group formed by provincial director, Col. Romy Palgue, has identified another vehicle, a black Toyota Innova, as another car used by the killers.
The Innova was seen in a closed circuit television footage in the village of Quezon in San Carlos around 10pm on 12 April, hours after Cui was shot in front of Emerald Building as he was about to board his Land Rover.
The identification of the Innova as a possible third car is the latest find of the police after four cigarette butts and a cartridge were recovered near the kill zone.
Donasco said these were found at least 50 meters away from where Cui fell.
These were sent to the Crime Laboratory in Manila for analysis, she said.
The cartridge could point to the caliber of the weapon used and indicate if it is a handgun or a rifle amid suspicions Cui was shot at long range by a sniper.
DNA, meanwhile, can be recovered from the cigarette butts.
