Financial consultant slain in Caloocan

MANILA, Philippines - Four unidentified men broke into a financial consultant’s house in GSIS Hills Subdivision, Caloocan City and killed him before dawn yesterday.

Jose Martinez, 42, who worked for his family’s money-lending firm, died from at least three gunshot wounds in the head, said Chief Inspector Rodrigo Soriano, city police investigation chief.

He said that at around 2 a.m., Martinez’s partner, who was sleeping in a separate bedroom, heard at least four gunshots from the victim’s room. Moments later, someone tried to open her bedroom door, which was locked.

Soriano said the killers escaped using the victim’s silver-grey Honda CRV (XSN-668), bringing with them important documents and Martinez’s mobile phone. Martinez’s partner saw at least four men, all wearing bonnets, boarding the CRV.

“But before escaping, the suspects spray-painted the wall, calling the victim’s brother a cheat,” Soriano told The STAR. He said the victim’s older brother, Joji, owns the money-lending firm. Joji is in the United States.

Soriano said investigators recovered near the body of the victim, who had been hogtied, four shells of a .45 caliber pistol.