City Hall exec shot dead in Marikina

A City Hall official was gunned down yesterday as he was about to leave his house to report for work in Marikina City, according to the local police.

Investigators said they are now trying to find out if the killing of Nicasio Cruz, 38, operations officer of the Marikina Settlement Office (MSO), was job related.

"We have no clear lead yet, but we are pursuing an angle that the attack was is related to his job at City Hall," said Superintendent Sotero Ramos Jr., Marikina City police chief.

Cruz was also the former head of the City Transportation Management and Development Office (formerly the Tricycle Regulatory Office).

Ramos said the ambush-slay was witnessed by the victim’s wife, Mary Ann.

"We cannot talk to her as yet because she is still in a state of shock," Ramos said.

Cruz sustained nine gunshot wounds in different parts of the body. He was declared dead on arrival at the Amang Rodriguez Medical Center.

Police investigator PO3 Edwin Arce said the couple was about to board their owner-type jeep parked in front of their house in Barangay Sta. Elena when two of the suspects, armed with caliber .45 automatic pistols, approached their vehicle at 8:30 a.m.

Two of the suspects acted as lookouts.

One of the two armed men pointed his gun at the wife, who ran back into the house.

Several shots were then fired.

Witnesses said when Cruz fell to the ground, the suspects boarded a waiting passenger jeepney and fled toward Pasig City.

Ramos said his men recovered from the crime scene seven empty shells and two slugs from caliber .45 pistols.

"Wala namang alam na kaaway ang biktima ayon sa kanyang asawa," said Ramos, who later released the cartographic sketch of one of the suspects based on the description given by a bystander.

The witness described one of the suspects, who acted as a lookout of the group, as about 5’3" and 5’4" in height, 33 to 35 years old, dark skinned and chubby.