Reward up for Lanot slay info

The Pasig City government offered yesterday a reward of P100,000 for information leading to the capture of the gunman in the murder of former city Rep. Henry Lanot last April 13.

The amount would be raised to P200,000 as Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Arturo Lomibao is set to approve another P100,000 as recommended by Metro police chief Deputy Director General Avelino Razon Jr.

Lomibao said police have received confidential reports on the whereabouts of the suspect, but refused to further elaborate so as not to jeopardize ongoing tracking operations.

"This is one thing we are now pursuing and we have ongoing operations," he said.

Razon is hoping that the reward money would encourage witnesses and informers to come forward and give detailed information on Lanot’s assassination.

"We are getting information from various sources at this time and the reward money would be of great help," Razon said.

Acting City Mayor Robert Eusebio said the City Council has come up with a resolution allocating money for the purpose.

"This is our contribution to facilitate the resolution of the case and to put the man who gunned down the former congressman in police custody," Eusebio said.

The acting mayor said the money would be taken from the Office of the City Mayor, his father Vicente Eusebio.

The younger Eusebio became the acting mayor when his father went on official leave for a trip abroad with Vice Mayor Rosalio "Yoyong" Martirez and several councilors.

Lanot, who ran and lost to the elder Eusebio for the mayoralty seat during last year’s elections, was shot in the head by a lone gunman while having lunch at the Jade Restaurant in Barangay Bagong Ilog last Wednesday.

The younger Eusebio said Pasig police chief Senior Superintendent Raul Medina has been following up the various leads in the case.

"He (Medina) reported and updated me on the case. His men have been conducted follow-up operations in various parts of Metro Manila.

Lanot will be buried today at the Pasig City public cemetery in Barangay Kapasigan after a 7 a.m. Mass at the Pasig City Cathedral.

Chief Superintendent Oscar Valenzuela, director of the Eastern Police District (EPD), said he mobilized at least 50 policemen to secure the funeral march. "We will see to it that no untoward incident takes place during the funeral," Valenzuela said.

Valenzuela, who also heads the Task Force Lanot, claimed their investigation into the murder is moving forward.

"We have good developments, but we cannot divulge them yet," the EPD chief told The Star in an interview. "Maybe in the next few days we can get a clear picture on the murder.

According to Valenzuela, Task Force Lanot investigators are working overtime to solve the case, the first political killing in Pasig City in decades. – With Cecille Suerte Felipe