Sunday, July 24, 2011

Ouano’s murder business-related

By Justin K. Vestil

Sunday, July 24, 2011


Mandaue City’s business sector mourned the loss of Ouano and urged authorities to expedite the investigation.POLICE believe the murder of businessman Antonio Ouano could be business-related.

Senior Supt. Noel Gillamac, Mandaue City Police Office director, said yesterday that based on the follow-up investigation conducted by members of Task Force Ouano, they have found that two men, believed to be guns-for-hire, pulled off the crime.

“It was very professional. It was well-planned,” Gillamac said.

Gillamac and members of TF Ouano, led by MCPO deputy director for operations Supt. James Goforth, conducted a case conference yesterday morning to discuss the updates of their investigation.

Gillamac said they are now looking into several angles, including Ouano’s business transactions.

Aside from being a landowner, Ouano is also the current head of E.C. Ouano Development and Management Corp., of which his siblings are members of the management board.

Gillamac said they are also investigating some cases filed against Ouano and cases he had filed himself.

Ouano was killed minutes after he and his secretary left the Mandaue City Hall of Justice to attend another hearing in Cebu City.

Gillamac ordered his investigators to gather all their witnesses, including Ouano’s secretary, to come up with cartographic sketches of the suspects.

He said some of the witnesses were able to take a good look at the suspects.

Gillamac is also coordinating with the Cebu International Convention Center (CICC) to provide them with closed circuit television (CCTV) footage of the incident.

Reward

A CCTV camera was believed to have recorded some portions of the incident.

He urged Ouano’s immediate family and the Mandaue City Government to raise an amount to increase their chances of solving the crime.

But while they support Gillamac’s idea, the business sector in Mandaue City believes a reward can only be made if the investigation shows some progress.

Eric Ng Mendoza, Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) president, said Ouano’s family can raise the reward money to help identify the suspects.

Mendoza said they have asked the police for the speedy resolution of the case.

Ouano is the second cousin of former Mandaue City mayor now Provincial Board Member Thadeo Ouano.

Ouano’s father, Ernesto Sr. and the PB member’s father, former Mandaue City mayor Alfredo “Pedong” Ouano, are first cousins.

Ouano’s wake is being held in the Cosmopolitan Funeral Homes in Barangay Lahug, Cebu City.

Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on July 24, 2011.

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