Umale’s family to cooperate in police probe

The family of businessman Leonardo Umale promised to cooperate fully in the police investigation on his ambush-slay in Pasig City.

Clarissa Victoria Umale claimed that they are willing to give statements on her husband’s slay anytime this week in the presence of their lawyer.

"It’s a good sign that they would cooperate," said Eastern Police District (EPD) director Chief Superintendent Charlemagne Alejandrino, the concurrent head of Task Force Umale.

Alejandrino said they would arrange with the Umale family a schedule for a family visit.

"They would choose the date convenient for them," he said.

Senior Superintendent Romeo Abaring, Pasig City police officer-in-charge (OIC), said his men visited the Umale family on Monday at their residence in Valle Verde.

The police team headed by Chief Inspector Dennis Makalintal, head of the local police criminal investigation unit (CIU), explained to Mrs. Umale that the case would not move without their cooperation.

"Makikilala daw niya ang gunman kapag makita niyang muli. Guwapo daw ito at mukhang artista (She said she may recognize the gunman if he sees him again. The gunman was reportedly handsome and looks like an actor)," said Abaring.

Mrs. Umale claimed the gunman approached the victim with a drawn gun prompting her husband to run. But the gunman shot him in the back.

When Umale fell to the ground bleeding, the gunman approached him and shot him at the back of the head.

The building’s electrician, Ernesto Lanton, rushed to aid Umale but another gunman shot him. Lanton died while undergoing treatment at the Medical City Hospital.

Alejandrino admitted there’s no progress yet in the investigation of the case, particularly as to the identity of the four gunmen.

"We still have to come up with the probable motive for the killing," said the EPD chief, adding he relegated to the Task Force Umale members their proper taskings to crack the case in due time.

The National Capital Region (NCR) office of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) was tasked to take the statements of Umale’s reported enemies, including Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis "Chavit" Singson.

The victim’s family pointed to Singson as the person that could possibly be behind the death of Umale but the politician vehemently denied the charges. Alejandrino said his team already got the statement of the security guard stationed at the main entrance of the eight-story Pearl Plaza building owned by Umale.