Ong family disappointed with pace of investigation

The family of brothers Nick and Neil Ong, who were killed inside a cafe and bar in Barangay Punta Princesa, Cebu City last month, expressed disappointment with the pace of the investigation into the case.

Through lawyer Inocencio dela Cerna, the family is calling on the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) and the Police Regional Office (PRO)-7 to continue with their investigation and identify the assailants.

Last January 27, 2018, brothers Neil Brian and Nick Benzen Ong, both seafarers, were killed along F. Llamas St., Barangay Punta Princesa, Cebu City, by an unidentified gunman and his cohort.

The police were looking into love triangle and personal grudge as motive in the killing.

Just to appease the grieving parents, dela Cerna called the police to come up with an affidavit of the witnesses as a start, since there were witnesses during the incident.

He added despite the lapse of time, their trust and confidence of the police are still there.

The police, for their part, now have the cartographic sketch of the suspects' facial features.

Police Superintendent Ryan Devaras, chief of the Investigation, Detection and Management Branch (IDMB), said that they are now following the leads of the suspects.

"Naa pud tay gi-follow nga lead which also di pa ta maka-divulge sa lead because ongoing pa ang atong operation," said Devaras.

He denied there is no progress in the case of the Ong brothers. He said that the operation against the suspects has been ongoing but the suspects remain very elusive.

"Naa pa sila diri (Cebu). Mailap lang talaga. We assure them that Cebu City Police Office is working 24 hours to resolve the cases. Although daghan, naa na tay mga lead. Atong mga investigators dili gyud mohunong og imbestiga," said Devaras.

The police also believed that the suspects are member of a gun-for-hire group.

Thelma Ong, mother of the victims, called not just the authorities, but the people who have information or those who witnessed the incident to privately message her through “Justice for Neil and Nick Ong” Facebook page.

She is hoping for a positive response to seek justice for her sons' death.

Dela Cerna said the Ong family will be giving reward for all the witnesses that will come up to help them in the identification of the assailants.

However, no amount was mentioned.