BACOLOD CITY, Negros Occidental, Philippines – More than six months after he was felled by still unknown killers, the murder of businessman and Capitol consultant Mariano Antonio Cui III remains under the jurisdiction of a special probe body created by the Western Visayas regional police office.
“Technically it is not yet a cold case,” Police Lt. Col. Marissa Bruno told DNX exactly 204 days today since Cui was shot as he was about to enter his car in the northern Negros city of San Carlos where he is based.
Bruno is information officer of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, a special police unit that handles probes into organized crime and cold cases.
Provincial police information officer Abegail Donasco had earlier told DNX the case of Cui had been transferred to the CIDG after six months lapsed without any significant developments in the probe.
Bruno, however, clarified the CIDG is not yet handling the case. Rather, it is still under the Police Regional Office 6 Special Investigation Task Group that was formed soon after Cui was killed.
The SITG was reported to be composed of the San Carlos City Police Office, the Scene of the Crime Operatives of the Negros Occidental Provincial Police Office, and investigation and intelligence operatives.
