Suspect in Bohol lawyer’s slay named

MANILA, Philippines - The murder of environmental lawyer Mia Manuelita Mascarinas-Green in Tagbilaran City, Bohol is almost solved after the gunman was identified, a police official said yesterday.

Tagbilaran police chief Supt. Nicomedes Olaivar said probers have made headway in their investigation after they identified Green’s alleged assailant as Romarico Templado Benigi-an.

“The suspec was positively identified through a rogues’ gallery by an eyewitness,” Olaivar said.

A source said policemen got a search warrant and raided at around 1:30 a.m. last Friday the Alona Embrace Hotel in Barangay Tawala, Panglao Island in Bohol where Benigi-an was reportedly staying, but the suspect had just left.

Seized during the operation were a .38 caliber revolver, a hand grenade, two bullets and one sachet of shabu.

Hotel owner Lloyd Lancer Gonzaga, who is also a subject of the search warrant, is being considered a person of interest in Green’s murder. He and Benigi-an remain at large.

There were reports that Gonzaga is the alleged mastermind and that he hired Benigi-an to kill the lawyer.

The source said Green and the hotel owner were on opposing sides in a land dispute.

However, Olaivar said it is too early to say if Gonzaga is really the mastermind since there is still no evidence directly linking him to the crime.

“We will come out with our findings once we file the cases,” he said.