NCRPO launches manhunt for ‘killer’ cop, partner

MANILA, Philippines — National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Maj. Gen. Debold Sinas has ordered a manhunt for a police officer and his partner in connection with the murder of a Cameroonian man in Pasay last month.

Cpl. Leonel Layson and Katrina Fernandez, allegedly a couple, remain at large.

Layson reportedly shot Divine Njua Komfun in front of a convenience store in Pasay on Oct. 26.

Investigators have copies of closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage showing the crime and the assailant’s escape.

Probers said Komfun was dropped off at a convenience store at the corner of Roxas Boulevard’s service road and Arnaiz Avenue by his girlfriend and a common friend on the night of Oct. 26.

He later boarded another vehicle, driven by fellow Cameroonian Yves Marcel Oum, who went with him as he checked in at a motel.

At around 11 p.m., Komfun and a Filipina in a Mitsubishi Mirage went into the rented room.

Around 20 minutes later, Komfun left the motel and walked toward Roxas Boulevard. He passed the assailant as he entered the convenience store.

The assailant shot Komfun in the nape. The victim died at the scene. The assailant ran toward a vehicle parked at a nearby restaurant and sped away.

Police traced the owner of the vehicle through its conduction sticker, seen in the CCTV footage.

Probers found that the vehicle was rented by Fernandez, who provided the car owner with photocopies of her identification cards and her cell phone number.

Another vehicle was also supposedly rented by Fernandez on Oct. 1, when she was with a man with a firearm tucked into his waistband. The car owner identified the man as Layson.

Scammers?

Pasay police chief Col. Ericson Dilag, in an earlier briefing, said that both Komfun and Fernandez were involved in fraud and investigators are looking into this as one of the possible motives.

In Komfun’s motel room, crime scene investigators found the victim’s luggage contained sheets of paper cut into the size of bills and a bottle of a chemical supposedly used by Komfun in “doubling down” the money.

Almost a week has passed since Layson promised to surrender, officials said.

Sinas said they are still verifying if the service firearm of Layson, who was suspended from Nov. 1 to 5 for simple neglect of duty, was the weapon used to kill Komfun.

“We are asking assistance from the public to immediately report to the authorities any information on the whereabouts of Layson and his cohort. Your cooperation with the police will greatly help in giving justice to the victim,” Sinas said.