A month after PUP exec's murder, family has yet to talk to cops

MANILA, Philippines - Almost a month following the ambush-slay of an executive of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP), the family of the victim has yet to coordinate in the ongoing investigation, police said Saturday.

Manila Police District (MPD) acting director Senior Superintendent Alex Gutierrez said the police earlier respected the appeal made by the family of Augustus Cezar, 64, to leave them in peace until he is buried.

Cezar, PUP vice president for administration and secretary of the university’s Board of Regents, was buried in his hometown in Aklan province weeks ago, but his family has yet to talk to members of the Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) August, Gutierrez told The STAR.

“The family may be able to provide some vital leads which may help in the solution of the case,” Gutierrez said. The MPD has already released to the public the facial composites of the two suspects.

Meanwhile, a member of the SITG August who requested anonymity since he is not authorized to issue statements to the media told The STAR that they are eyeing renegade members of the New People’s Army (NPA) rebels turned guns for hire as the killers of Cezar.

SITG operatives have been sent to several provinces where there are reports of arrests of NPA rebels turned hitmen. “We may be able to match the facial composites of the suspects with those arrested,” the source said.