Police investigate trader's killing

CEBU, Philippines - Police are looking at business rivalry and love triangle as motives for the killing Friday evening of a 37-year-old businesswoman, at the intersection of A. Soriano and Plaridel streets.

Irish Marie Hugo Gonzales, 37, owner of Stockland International Furniture in barangay Paknaan, Mandaue City was driving that night a Starex van when ambushed.

With her were Crisostomo Alcala, Alcala's niece Irene Cañedo, and Roel Relavo, a resident of San Fernando town.

She sustained a gunshot wound in the head, left armpit, and left arm and died minutes at the Mandaue City Hospital, which is just a stone's throw away from where the shooting took place.

The assailants, according to witnesses, rode on a motorcycle. The driver wore a crash helmet while his passenger covered his face with what looked like a handkerchief.

Witnesses said the gunmen fired three shots at the woman and appeared to be preparing to fire more shots at her but sped off instead towards the LTO in barangay Looc when a traffic enforcer appeared.

The police said Hugo was heading towards her hometown Argao where she runs a piggery. She also has a piggery in barangay Canduman in Mandaue.

But before proceeding to Argao, she stopped by the LTO office to pick up her alleged lover Alcala and Relavo, an electrician she had hired for some work at her pig farm in Argao, police said.

Alcala was arrested last July 5 in an entrapment operation conducted by the police in barangay Centro.

The operation stemmed from a complaint filed by barangay Ibabao Councilor Pablo Gallego who accused Alcala of giving him fake documents.

Alcala, being a fixer at the LTO, was the person Gallego approached to facilitate the registration of his trailer truck.

Aside from being a fixer, Alcala is also a freelance agent of the Pacific Assurance Corporation.

Homicide chief P/Insp. Ramil Morpos said the woman who was renting a house in barangay Opao before the shooting was separated from her husband.

He said Gonzales and Alcala, a married man, were having an affair but he couldn't confirm if the two were living together.

Morpos said investigation would show Gonzales was really the target because the gunmen knew she was at the wheel and that all bullets were directed at her.

He said if Alcala was the target, they could have been killed him inside his office near the LTO.

Alcala told police he doesn't believe those who had begrudged for his work as fixer would kill him.

The police also learned from Alcala's niece Cañedo who works for Hugo that the businesswoman's export business is doing well.

The Homicide chief said the police will investigate the case thoroughly; Gonzales' laptop and cellular phone and the cellular phones of Alcala and Cañedo are already in their custody.

But Gonzales' laptop and phone have passwords.

Alcala's cellular phone revealed nothing that would implicate him in the crime, the police said. (FREEMAN)