By KC FERNANDEZ and LITO RULONA Correspondents INVESTIGATORS have concluded that the killing of a Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) officer last month was workelated, and that it had something to do with public funds intended for various schools in the region. Chief Insp. Ariel Philip Pontillas, Agora police chief, said investigators were convinced that the victim, Ramon Racjev Escudero II, was killed by a group with interest on the government’s funds intended for schools with students who are beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilya Pilipino Program (4Ps). “Base sa atong document nga among nakuha dinhi nga confirm jud nga about sa iyang trabaho,” he said. Pontillas, who is also head of Task Force Escudero, said police were now looking into the distribution of DSWD funds to technical schools, and into the implementation of various projects under the department’s Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP). “Naa sulod sa iyang cellphone and other gadgets... naay nakita namo nga mga documents, amo dayun nga gipa-confirm sa DSWD. Sa akong assessment, naa ko’y pagtuo nga related gyud sa iyang trabaho ang hinungdan,” Pontillas said. Escudero, a resident of Bugo, this city, was driving a Tamaraw FX on Gusa highway, and was on his way home from work when he was attacked by gunmen on two motorcycles without license plates last month. Escudero, who was hit by four bullets, was pronounced dead at the Capitol University Medical Center. He was 48. Escudero was the one in charge of evaluating schools for possible funding under the DSWD program. His work was crucial in determining which schools could receive public funds intended to provide vocational or short courses to DSWD beneficiaries. It was learned that Escudero’s work covered Lanao del Norte, Misamis Oriental, and Misamis Occidental, among others. “Siya ang ga-recommend and ga-evaluate sa mga performing technical schools. Siya sab ang naay say nga dili niya hatagan ang usa ka school sa next phase sa projects,” he said. Pontillas said Escudero had told his family that he had stepped on the shoes of an influential person with an interest in the program, and he supposedly told them that “duna siya’y problema sa trabaho.” The Commission on Audit (COA) has reportedly started looking into the way the funds were being spent. Police said they would likely ask the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) or the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) for help. Pontillas said investigators have listed a number of groups, and were trimming them down to one after some police officers reported that they received death threats.