A person of interest is now being investigated by police for alleged involvement in the June 27 killing of a Danish national in Panglao town, a Bohol Provincial Police Office (BPPO) official said.
BPPO spokesperson Lt. Col. Norman Nuez, in an interview over station dyRD on Wednesday, said investigators were already gathering testimonies from witnesses who could pinpoint the person as the triggerman in the killing of Kristian Laurssen, a temporary resident of Barangay Danao, Panglao.
“Ang Panglao police aduna na silay person of interest sa pagpalawom nila sa imbestigasyon unya duna na silay gikahinabi na mga eye witnesses. Naa na pud silay gi tigom na mga ebidensya,” said Nuez.
The police official however refused to divulge further information on the person of interest so as not to jeopardize their ongoing investigation.
According to Nuez, they will be filing a criminal complaint before the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office against the possible suspect once enough pieces of evidence are obtained.
Monitoring operations and checkpoints have been set up to prevent the possible suspect from fleeing.
The BPPO has also sent investigators to Panglao to assist the municipal police in their probe.
“Nagpadala usab ang atoang provincial director [Col. Lorenzo Batuan] og investigators ug intelligence officers para mo augment sa ilang imbestigatasyon didto aron mas mapalig-on ang atoang imbestigation,” said Nuez.
Earlier, Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) operatives were also deployed to Panglao to aid in hot pursuit operations. However, the allowable time for a warrantless arrest has lapsed.
Nuez added that investigators were looking at personal grudge as among three possible motives behind the killing of Laurssen.
Laurssen was driving his motorcycle when he was shot by the gunman in the head along a provincial road in Barangay Danao, Pangalo at 2 p.m. on Tuesday.
He was still ruhsed to a hospital but was declared dead on arrival.
Panglao Police Station chief Major Andie Corpuz noted that they initially received a report of vehicular accident in the area but police and emergency responders found a bullet wound in Laurseen’s head. (A. Doydora)