Witness in bank exec’s slay shot dead

MANILA, Philippines — A witness in the killing of a bank executive and two others in Sta. Cruz, Manila in 2012 was shot dead yesterday.

Closed-circuit television footage showed Myrna Tandiama, 53, was walking at the corner of Yuseco and Ilustre streets when two men on a motorcycle fired at her several times.

Tandiama died at the scene from multiple gunshots to the body.

The assailants fled after the attack, according to Capt. Henry Navarro, chief of the Manila Police District (MPD) homicide unit.

Probers said they recovered six 9mm spent shells at the scene.

Prior to the shooting, Tandiama complained that a barangay official had been harassing her.

Police did not identify the village official.

A neighbor of the victim told police that an unidentified man has been roaming the area since Saturday and looking for Tandiama.

Tandiama served as a witness in the murder of Evelyn Tan, vice president of Banco de Oro in Makati, and her 75-year-old mother, who were found with stab wounds at their house along Yakal street in Barangay 355 on Nov. 11, 2012.

Their housemaid, Kristina Bartolay, 22, was also killed.

Probers said Tandiama saw the bloodied Nestor Delizalde, a barangay watchman, allegedly escaping from Tan’s house.

Delizalde allegedly threatened Tandiama to shut her mouth or he would kill her.

Police arrested Delizalde in a follow-up operation in Divisoria.

The suspect admitted that he was high on drugs when he robbed and killed the victims.

The suspect took Tan’s bag containing P22,000 in cash, 19,000 Yuan, a digital camera and three cell phones.

Tan was supposed to leave for a business trip abroad when she was murdered, police said.

After the case was closed, Tandiama worked as a helper at the MPD Station 7 and later at the district’s intelligence operations unit.