P1.5M bounty up on arrest of Cui’s murder suspects

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – The provincial government of Negros Occidental has increased the bounty to P1.5 million for the capture of person/s responsible for the murder of late provincial consultant for hospital operations Mariano Antonio “Marton” Cui III.

This was stated in a document signed by Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson and issued on Nov 11, barely a month after it first offered a P500,000 cash reward for any vital information that would lead to the arrest of the murder suspects.

Those who may have information can immediately contact Atty. Renoir Baldovino, head of National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) – Bacolod, at (034) 703-2931.

President Rodrigo Duterte earlier ordered the NBI to investigate the said killing, thus the local bureau here is conducting a parallel investigation on the case.

Cui was killed by unidentified perpetrators believed to be armed with a sniper rifle while he was about to ride his car outside the Emerald Arcade in Barangay Palampas, San Carlos City on April 12 this year.

Cui worked as chief of staff of former 1st District Rep. Julio Ledesma IV and as an executive assistant for political affairs of incumbent Rep. Gerardo Valmayor Jr., aside from being consultant on hospital operations of the provincial government.

For the part of the police, Police Lieutenant Abegael Donasco, information officer of Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (Nocppo) here, said on Friday there’s no significant update on the investigation yet.

It’s been seven months since the incident happened, and the police are still facing a blank wall, although they earlier said that three vehicles were previously placed under probe after they were reportedly sighted in the area on the day that the shooting happened.

Police also have yet to establish the motive. (With a report from Dolly Yasa)