Witness identifies suspect in broad daylight killing of Ecija town accountant

CABIAO, Nueva Ecija – Police have claimed a breakthrough in the investigation of the cold-blooded killing of this town’s municipal accountant after a witness has come out in the open and described one of the gunmen behind the December 18 gun attack.

          Senior Superintendent Crizaldo Nieves, provincial police director, said the witness has already given his testimony regarding the killing of late municipal accountant Noel Gamboa, a nephew of Mayor Gloria Crespo-Congco.

          Nieves said the witness also gave a detailed facial description of one of the suspects to Chief Inspector Eric Garcia of the Philippine National Police Crime Laboratory based in Camp Olivas, Pampanga.

          Gamboa, 53, of Barangay San Roque here, was gunned down the morning of December 18 in the town proper by the suspect who was riding in tandem with another companion aboard a motorcycle.

          Crespo-Congco, who appointed Gamboa to his post some seven years ago, said there have been reports the killing was work-related. “But even if there is conflict, it would not be enough reason to justify his killing,” she said.

          Chief Inspector Joseph Sta. Cruz, town police chief, said that while the witness also gave a detailed description of the assailant, they are not at liberty to disclose it because that was the witness’ request.

          “The witness fears for his life and so we have to protect him,” he said.

          Sta. Cruz said he was convinced the attack was work-related considering the sensitivity of Gamboa’s post. He added that three mobile phones of Gamboa and a CCTV (Closed Circuit Television) footage in the murder scene could be the key to the final solution of the case.

         He said the victim’s family agreed to turn over the gadgets which will be subjected to digital forensic investigation by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in Camp Crame to detect possible threats.

         “The good thing about Gamboa’s mobile phones were that they were sophisticated enough that we could track down text messages from the date of purchase of his gadgets up to the time he was killed,” he said.

         He said that the CCTV blurred images, it will be brought to a digital expert for further examination. – Manny Galvez