Probers on San Juan businessman’s slay: Where’s the P800,000?

MANILA, Philippines - Police officers investigating the murder of a businessman in San Juan City Monday are wondering what happened to the P800,000 the victim had withdrawn minutes before he was shot dead, officials said yesterday.

Earlier reports quoting city police chief Senior Superintendent Bernard Tambaoan state that Kelvin Tan, 34, owner of construction firm KT Builders, had withdrawn the money from a bank along Ortigas Avenue in Greenhills and reportedly handed the money to a bodyguard of his best friend, Benedict Tan.

The bodyguard, identified as Reggie Guadayo, vehemently denied receiving the money.

Superintendent Remus Medina, Eastern Police District intelligence chief, said the P800,000 is missing. He said they will summon Guadayo for investigation.

Caught on camera

The images of Tan’s killer and his accomplice were caught by a surveillance camera in the area.

Medina said investigators strongly believe Tan’s murder was thoroughly planned since the two attackers were fully aware of the heavy flow of vehicular traffic along Ortigas Avenue.

“The gunman is a hired gun. He was very thorough in his job,” he said.

Investigators said Tan encashed a check at the bank at around 10 a.m. Before Tan emerged from the bank, the gunman – clad in a violet long-sleeved barong – was seen on surveillance footage walking toward the bank, closely followed by his companion, who was driving a motorcycle.

The footage showed the gunman and Tan crossed paths but the victim did not look at the gunman. After a few minutes, the gunman returned and followed Tan, while his companion drove to the other side of the road and waited for him. The footage showed the gunman taking a handgun tucked into his waistband and rushing toward Tan. The actual killing of Tan was not recorded, Medina said.

The gunman was last spotted in the footage running toward his companion, closely followed by a security guard carrying a long firearm. The guard turned back after the gunman and his companion fled on the motorcycle.

According to Medina, the EPD’s tactical motor riders had just left the area when the gunman struck. “We are intensifying our motorcycle patrol in the area amid reports that bank robbers are planning to strike there. But our TMR teams left a few minutes before the gunman made his move,” he said.