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Dumaguete City, PhilippinesTuesday, August 7, 2012
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IN TANJAY
PNP facing blank wall in
gunslay of lawyer

BY JUDY F. PARTLOW & JUANCHO GALLARDE

Policemen have yet to identify the suspects and motive for the fatal shooting of a lawyer in Tanjay City, Negros Oriental at about 11:45 p.m. Friday.

Sr. Supt. Edward Carranza, director of the Negros Oriental Provincial Police Office yesterday created the Special Investigation Task Group Zerna to probe the murder of Manolo Zerna, 48.

Initial investigation showed that at around 11: 45 p.m. Friday, Zerna had just arrived home at Legaspi Street, Barangay 9 from a party, with his live-in partner, identified as Evelyn Acas Martinez, and their four-year old son, on board a motorcycle.

Martinez had alighted from the motorcycle to open the gate to the house, when two men also on board a motorcycle stopped behind Zerna, and the backrider shot the lawyer twice but missed. The gunman then got off from the motorcycle and shot Zerna several times at close range with a .45 caliber revolver, the police said.

Zerna was declared dead on arrival at the Urgent Care Clinic in Tanjay City. Martinez and the boy were not harmed.

Seven spent shells of a .45 caliber revolver and a deformed slug were recovered from the crime scene, Carranza said, adding they are investigating several angles.

Tanjay City deputy police chief, Insp. Deogracias Lorico said one lead is the “love triangle” angle. Zerna reportedly had criminal charges pending before the Supreme Court and the Family Court filed by his wife, with whom the lawyer had three children.

The wife has been invited by the police to shed light on the incident, Lorico said. Two other suspects, one of them a suspected gun-for-hire, have also been in for questioning based on the statement of a witness.

Arnel Zerna, brother of the victim, said the family does not know if the murder was job-related.

The victim will be laid to rest at the public cemetery in Tanjay City today.*JFP/JG

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