Probers doubt robbery in manager’s gunslay

By NITZ ARANCON and LITO RULONA Correspondents

POLICE yesterday said they doubted that the 33-year old company manager who was shot dead in his office was robbed, saying investigators were more inclined to believe that personal grudges led to the gun attack in downtown Cagayan de Oro on Thursday afternoon.

Investigators said this even as city police director Senior Supt. Faro Antonio Olaguera created a task force to handle the case on the killing of Rolando Bonghanoy, manager of Romeo V. Austria Trading.

Bonghanoy, of Mahayag, Zamboanga del Sur, succumbed succumbed to gunshots to the left arm, chest and below the right ear.

Police confirmed that the murder weapon was a caliber .45 pistol.

Olaguera named Chief Insp. Ariel Pontillas, chief of the city police’s Crime against Persons and Property Desk, to lead the team of investigators in cracking the case.

“More or less, it took only 20 seconds for the killer to carry out the attack. I believe that it was personal because he fled right away after the shooting,” said Olaguera, noting that the shooter did not demand or take anything.

He said the assailant barged into the office, shot Bonghanoy who was with two of his female staff, and then ran off.

No suspect has been identified yet but Chief Insp. Victor Cacdac, Divisoria police chief, said three witnesses have come forward.

“We were told the victim was a good man. He did not even have a vice, and no one has heard him having enemies,” Cacdac said.

Supt. Lemuel Gonda, chief for operations of the city police, said investigators were getting in touch with the victim’s family in the hope of getting leads.

Gonda said it was possible the assailant was a gun-for-hire.

A male office staff member said the shooter was wearing a mask and helmet when he barged into the office, and fired shots at Bonghanoy.