NOPPO helps probe Archival slay

CEBU, Philippines - The Negros Oriental Provincial Police Office is assisting the Special Investigation Task Group Archival in looking into the ambush-slaying of lawyer Noel Archival by recreating the latter’s itinerary while in Dumaguete City to attend a court hearing hours before he was killed in Barangay Coro, Dalaguete Tuesday last week.

Acting NOPPO director, Sr. Supt. Mariano Natu-el, Jr., said they are also trying to obtain video footages from security cameras in places, where Archival had been to while in Dumaguete City, to help in the investigation. 

Natu-el explained that security footages might be helpful because of reports that Archival was being followed by a suspicious person while in Dumaguete. He said they have already invited some personalities for questioning, including the clients of the late Archival.

Natu-el said that all information obtained by them is still subject to validation. Meanwhile, Sr. Insp. Michael Virtudazo, chief of the Forensic Laboratory of the Anti-Cyber Crime Group-7, said that the results of the digital forensic examinations on the three cellular phones of Archival and his staff will be out next week.

Vertudazo said the results of the examination would be helpful to track the messages and calls prior to the killing of Archival, Edu Minoza, and Alejandro Jaime.

“We have to check on incoming calls and text messages basin na’y threats nga posible’ng mahimo nato’ng ebidensiya sa kaso,” said Supt. Renato Malazarte, spokesperson of the task group.

All members of the task group are out in the field tracking the itineraries of the victims from Dalaguete to Dumaguete City.

The task group is eyeing a high-profile case handled by Archival as possible motive in his ambush. The police have already released a facial composite of one of the alleged gunman based on the description given by Paulo Cortes, one of Archival’s staff  who survived the ambush.

Archival came from the hearing in Dumaguete City, where he represented robbery suspect Jesuslou Elcarte Alegria, alleged mastermind in the pawnshop heist in the city last year, when the ambush happened. (FREEMAN)