BY GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The killing of provincial consultant Mariano Antonio “Marton” Cui III in San Carlos City, Negros Occidental, almost two years ago, appears to be well funded, according to National Bureau of Investigation Bacolod chief Atty. Renoir Baldovino.
Baldovino admitted yesterday that they are still facing a blank wall as to the identities of suspects and the motive behind in the assassination of Cui, who also then served as chief of staff of former Rep. Julio Ledesma IV (1st district, Negros Occidental).
Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson has raised to P2 million the bounty, for “any information that would lead to the capture of person, or individuals, behind his death,” which may be relayed to the NBI -Bacolod District Office.
Baldovino added that their investigations hit a snag after the court denied their application for a cyber warrant to pursue leads in the investigation of the death of Cui.
He said in the course of their operations, they monitored an exchange of conversations, allegedly from one of the participants in the murder.
Baldovino said they needed a cyber warrant in order to secure the communication gadget for laboratory examinations.
Cui, who was considered an influential political figure in the Negros Occidental 1st district, was assassinated in April 12, 2021, outside his office in San Carlos City. He was reportedly shot from long range by a sniper.
Baldovino said the suspects are presumably members of an organized group, and no witnesses have come out into open.*
