No robbery motive seen in Korean man’s slay in Nueva Ecija

CABANATUAN CITY — Police on Friday ruled out robbery as the motive behind the killing of a Korean national whose body was found inside an SUV in an outskirt village in Gen. Tinio, Nueva Ecija.

Police Brig. Gen. Jess Mendez, who presided over a case conference at the Nueva Ecija Police Provincial Office here, said the victim’s valuables, including an expensive Rolex wristwatch and a large amount of cash, were not taken.

Mendez said investigators have already identified at least three persons of interest in the case.

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The victim was reported missing in Angeles City a day before his body was found inside an abandoned Ford Everest (NIK-5986) in Barangay Pias, Gen. Tinio, at around 4:30 p.m. on June 17.

Investigation showed that residents had noticed the vehicle in the area as early as 10 a.m. on June 16, but it was only reported to authorities at around 4:30 p.m. on June 17 after a village official looked inside and saw a “human-shaped figure wrapped in a blanket lying on the front passenger seat.”

“He further noticed that all doors of the vehicle were locked,” responding police officers said.

Mendez said forensic examinations were conducted both at the scene and on the victim’s remains, but he declined to provide further details, saying he was not authorized to disclose them.

Authorities withheld the identity of the victim, saying only that he was not a resident of the village.

Sources said the victim sustained a gunshot wound to the back of the head. INQ