Pauleen Luna's grandma murder case not yet closed - probers

MANILA, Philippines — Two weeks after a gunman robbed and shot the grandmother of actress Pauleen Luna, investigators on Tuesday said they were still not ruling out the possibility that the arrested assailant was just a hired gun. Chief Inspector Alberto Peco, chief of the Manila Police District’s homicide section, said it was possible that the killing of 62-year-old Mercedita Jimenez had something to do with her lending business or personal grudge. “The case is not yet closed. We have to dig deeper as the suspect also admitted that somebody ordered him to kill Luna’s grandmother who was also known as ‘Ka Baby,’ said Peco. Peco said even the prosecutor handling the case is not contented on the robbery angle. He said several witnesses will be invited for questioning to shed light in the Nov 5 incident. Police said Jimenez, a money lender, was collecting cash from borrowers when the Edison of Tondo shot her at 6 a.m. inside the public market on Antipolo corner Leonor Rivera Streets in Blumentritt, Sta. Cruz, Manila. “As of now murder and robbery are the cases we filed against him. But we are still collating evidence to determine the real motive of the killing," Peco said. He noted that two pictures of the victim were recovered from the suspect’s possession after he was arrested. While saying he was just hired by someone, the suspect reported refused to say who was the mastermind. Jimenez suffered gunshot wounds in the next and the chest and died on arrival at the Chinese General Hospital in Manila. Before the 46-year-old suspect could flee, he was cornered and ganged upon by tricycle drivers and vendors before concerned citizens took custody of him. Police said they were unable to recover the suspect’s loot as it may have been taken by one of those who attacked him. Responding police officers later recovered a.45-caliber pistol from him and an identification card showing that he is a member of “Guardians Maharlika Inc. Unang Sigaw-Cloverleaf, Quezon City Chapter." Probers say it was possible that Antonio was a hired gun as he had been tagged as a suspect in last year’s rob-slaying of a certain “Ka Pabling," a collector of a rural bank, also inside the same public market. - GMANews.TV