THE suspect of the murder of traffic enforcer Cris Cabingas is set to be charged before the Cagayan de Oro City Prosecutor’s Office Wednesday, January 4, a police official said Tuesday, January 2.
City police director Senior Superintendent Ronnie Francis Cariaga, Task Force Cabingas chief, declined to name the suspect but said the documents for the filing of the case are all ready.
"For filing na ang case. Ginaplastar na ang mga documents sa case (We are preparing the documents for the case)," Cariaga said.
Cariaga said a manhunt is ongoing to arrest the suspect.
The suspect is said to be a known gun-for-hire and a "close associate" of some of the vendors in the city-run Cogon public market.
Cabingas, a team leader of traffic enforcers at the market place, was shot from behind at Guillermo-JR Borja streets last December 30 and died the following day from three gunshot wounds.
City Councilor Romeo Calizo, task force co-chairman, said the circumstances of the murder would suffice for the filing of the case.
Investigators already have substantial statements from witnesses that can be useful in securing a conviction against the suspect.
"Premeditated man to kay naay (because there was an) info nga (that) before sa (the) incident naay (there were) prior circumstances nga giplano gyud (that it was planned)," Calizo said.
Calizo affirmed Task Force Hapsay Dalan chairman lawyer Edgardo Uy’s claim that the motive of the incident was work-related.
"He (suspect) might have connections with the vendors, dili ta kaingon nga gisugo (we can’t say that he was hired). That goes to show nga ang pagpatay sa iya (that his murder) is work related," Calizo added
Calizo said one of the concerns raised during the task force meeting is how to redeploy the traffic aides backed with appropriate security when conducting clearing operations and enforcement of traffic rules around the market.
He also urged the enforcers tasked to clear and maintain orderly traffic flow at the market to plan the operations well to avoid misinterpretations and misunderstandings between the enforcers and the vendors.
"Dili malikayan nga mahadlok karon ang mga enforcers kay sa ilang pag-implement sa (It can’t be avoided that enforcers might fear the implementation of) traffic rules, they are subject sa misinterpretations," Calizo said.
"Unta ang (The) security sa pag enforce sa (enforcing) traffic rules is responsibility sa (of) police. In that particular situation, police visibility may not have been enough," Calizo added.
