Castro’s death pre-meditated, don’t blame cops

CEBU, Philippines — Police Regional Office-7 director Chief Superintendent Debold Sinas defended his men in relation to the murder of former Cebu City Assistant Prosecutor Mary Ann Castro Thursday last week.

Sinas said the crime was well-planned and should not be blamed on the police.

"There's a difference between pre-meditated killing and random killing. Si Castro giplanohan gyud siya by the way it is done. Alam mo pag pre-meditated lisud kaayo ma-prevent lalo na kung wala kay storya sa amoa," Sinas said.  (Castro was really targeted.  If it is pre-meditated, it is very hard to prevent it.)

Sinas further explained they were not aware that Castro was in Cebu because she was assigned in Masbate.

Malacanang has ordered the PNP to investigate if there was no security lapses on the part of the police that even with the heightened alert, the murder was still executed and the perpetrator escaped.

Sinas claimed that they have done everything to prevent crime in preparation for the Sinulog.

"Basta pre-meditated lisud kaayo magstorya ka og lapses. I will not blame our police kay in place na ang among checkpoints and everything. It's a pre-meditated case and we did our best to prevent any crimes," Sinas said.  (If it is pre-meditated, it is hard to talk about lapses.  I will not blame the police because our checkpoints were already in place.)

Cebu City Police Office director Senior Supt. Royina Garma heads the Special Investigation Task Group in cooperation with the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-7 (CIDG-7).

They are under the supervision of Police Senior Supt. Anghelito Dumangeng, PRO-7 Deputy Regional Director for Operations.

Garma said they have no update on the case yet because they were busy preparing for the Sinulog.

Now that Sinulog is over, they will resume their investigation.

Castro was attacked by a lone gunman on Escario St. while on her way home from a dinner with friends at the Cebu Business Park.

Work, drugs and personal grudge were the angles being looked into by investigators as the possible motive behind the attack. (FREEMAN)