Cops link leftist group to radio anchor Len Sumera's killing

Philippine National Police (PNP) investigators have linked a leftist underground movement to the killing in Malabon City on March 24 of Marlina "Len" Sumera, an anchorwoman of radio station dzME. According to a news release on its website, the PNP said "The four suspects were identified as members of the Partisano Gitnang Luzon (PGL) whose alleged leader Carlos Alejandro was already charged with a murder case by SITG-SUMERA together with aliases Al Pilay, Rosa, Rene, and Pangit." The police noted a similar “modus operandi" in the killing of Edwin Abella, barangay captain of Barangay North Bay Boulevard South, Navotas who was killed on March 15. "It was learned that the gruesome killing of Abella and Sumera was perpetrated by four suspects, three male and one female, where the gunman in both killings picked-up the empty shells before fleeing the crime scene," it said. According to the PNP, it linked the PGL after recovering a leaflet which was left by the group after killing Abella. "Intelligence operatives later verified and validated said claim by the PGL on the murder of the barangay captain. Both the case of Abella and Sumera have common suspect during the actual commission of the crime identified only as Ka Rosa. Ka Rosa was the lone female suspect on both killings," the PNP said. On April 4, a murder case was filed against the same suspects at the Navotas City Prosecutor’s Office for the killing of Abella. Police Director Arturo Cacdac, also the Task Force USIG Commander, the PNP had already raised the bounty offered for any information that would lead to the killers of Sumera to P450,000. “The bounty could go up to P500,000 as long as we can get the information that will led us to the masterminds and killers of Sumera, as well as Abella," Cacdac said. - VVP, GMA News