The suspects in the killing of Kabankalan Regional Trial Court Judge Henry Arles may have been guns-for-hire, and their motive was most probably job-related, Task Force Arles investigations show.

Senior Supt. Allan Guisihan, provincial police director of Negros Occidental, said yesterday their investigations also did not elicit any information that Judge Arles had personal enemies.

Various law enforcement agencies tasked to complement each other for the speedy resolution of the case, yesterday met with members of the Arles family at Camp Alfredo Montelibano Sr. in Bacolod City, to share information to hasten resolution of the case.

Guisihan said he believes the identification and arrest of the two persons, including a woman, who had served as possible “look-outs” of the assassins of Arles, whose presence were monitored at the vicinity of the Kabankalan Regional Trial Court in Kabankalan City, before the shooting incident, would be the vital key to the unmasking of the alleged mastermind.

Arles, 62, succumbed to three gunshot wounds, when he was shot with a .45 caliber pistol by the gunman who fled using a tricycle, in Brgy. Manalad, Ilog, on April 24. He had served for 13 years as Kabankalan RTC judge.

Maria Estelita “Ria” Arles, daughter of the victim, yesterday expressed their satisfaction in the progress of police investigations in the killing of their father, which she described as “well-organized”.

She shared the initial observation of the police that the killing of her father was job-related.

Guisihan said he has two teams of police probers, who are now running after the two “spotters” of the assassins, and scrutinizing court records as well as controversial cases resolved by Arles.

The National Bureau of Investigation also joined the Task Force Arles for the speedy resolution of the incident.

Guisihan said he had sought the help of the NBI to avoid competition.

Arles said they are discussing with other members of the family the amount of reward they will give to any person, who may provide information, that may lead to the arrest of the suspects.

One of the spotters was described as 40 to 45 year old male of medium build about 5 feet and 6 inches tall with dark brown complexion, while his female companion was between 20 to 25 years old, of small build, with brown complexion.

Guisihan assured the Arles family of their all-out effort for the immediate resolution of the case, but refused to give a timetable in order to prevent half-baked results, that may lead to the arrest of “fall guys”. * GPB

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