CIDG to also look into the killing of American

The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-7 will be conducting a separate investigation to help Cebu City Police Office solve the murder of an American in sitio Banawa, barangay Guadalupe, last Monday afternoon.

Chief inspector Rex Derilo of the CIDG-7 said their investigation will not in any way affect the investigation of the Homicide Section and Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Branch of the CCPO into the killing of Victor Noe, 68, who was killed after being shot in the head.

His fiancée, Catalina Cabanes, was also shot in the left temple and is now recuperating in a private hospital. They were attacked by two men on a motorcycle while disembarking from a taxi at the front gate of a house.

The two men reportedly made their escape towards Salvador Street in barangay Labangon.

C/Insp. Fermin Armendares of the CIDG-7 said, they have already coordinated with John Domingo of the United States consulate to inform them of the incident and to possibly locate Noe's family.

Police learned that Noe had a wife named Deborah, but was not clear if the couple had already been legally separated.

The CIDG and CIIB will ask the US consulate to authorize investigators to open Noe's house in San Agustin Heights, barangay Tisa, Cebu City, to gather more evidence and other important documents that may be material to the investigation.

Police are looking into angles including the marital status of both victims. Cabanes' marriage with her second husband was reportedly annulled just last month.

Cabanes' eight-year-old daughter from her last marriage was there when she was shot. Her 11-year-old daughter from her first marriage said Noe wanted to marry their mother and promised to bring them to the United States next year.

The possibility of misunderstanding in the custody of the children and previous transactions pertaining to properties owned by Noe is being considered by investigators as worth digging into. - Edwin Ian Melecio