Negros cops may seek Scotland Yard help in Englishman's killing

Negros Occidental officials may seek the help of British investigators in looking into the fatal shooting of a British resort owner in Sipalay City earlier this week. Sipalay City Mayor Oscar Montilla said that the local government may tap Scotland Yard to look into the killing of Anthony Nicholas if local probers fail to show results. Montilla said he will write to the British Embassy for the entry of Scotland Yard in the investigations in the death of Nicholas, news site Visayan Daily Star reported Saturday. But he said he will allow local investigators to finish their probe, saying they may have established some leads in their investigations. Two unidentified gunmen shot Nicholas, 65, dead in front of his wife and helper in Brgy. 4, Sipalay City. He succumbed to three gunshot wounds. Provincial Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. offered a P500,000 reward for information leading to the solution of the case. Negros Occidental police chief Senior Superintendent Manuel Felix said Task Force Nicholas is now focusing its investigation on some personalities, but he refused to divulge their identities. The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), which is conducting a parallel investigation, is eyeing three possible motives – robbery, dispute over property and politics. Police probers initially ruled out the angle of robbery as the two suspects did not ask for money, although they accepted cash from the victim's wife. Nicholas who had been living in Sipalay City for the past three decades, and his Filipina wife, Judith Grijaldo, own the Hijo Beach Resort, Matlag farm house, Hijo Store at the city public market and Matlag Town House, all in the city. -TJD, GMANews.TV