CAMP OLIVAS — Government agents arrested on Sunday the alleged gunman in the gunslay of a Subic Freeport businessman during a raid at the residence of his live-in partner in Palmridge Subdivision, Filinvest, Sta. Maria, Sto. Tomas, Batangas, police announced.
Central Luzon police director Brig. General Joel Napoleon Coronel said the suspect did not resist arrest when pounced by members of the Special Investigation Task Group “Lighthouse” led by Director of Criminal Investigation and Detection Group Police Major General Amador Corpus.
“All evidence and testimonies by witnesses are pointing to Edgardo Paredes Luib, a.k.a ‘Injeck’ of Imus, Cavite as responsible behind the gunslay of Dominic Lim Sytin, president of United Auctioneers, Inc.”, said Coronel in a statement.
Coronel said Sytin was murdered due to rivalry among corporate siblings on November 28 last year.
“From all indications, this high-profile murder of Sytin was apparently motivated by rivalry among corporate siblings and carried out through a gun-for-hire contract with a hitman”, the Central Luzon police chief added.
The suspect, Coronel said, was placed under the police custody as murder complaint is being readied for filing in court.
Corpus said a significant breakthrough in the investigation of Sytin’s murder came when a walk-in witness provided the Olongapo City Police Office with information that established the identity of the suspect.
Sytin and and his driver aide Efren Espartero were on board an SUV while on their way out of Subic Bay Freeport when waylaid by a lone gunman past 7 p.m., near the Lighthouse Hotel.
The suspect fled on board a motorcycle and went into hiding, it was stated in the police report.
Police records showed that Luib has a standing warrant of arrest for two counts of murder cases filed in Batangas.
Seized from Luib’s possession, police said, include a caliber 30 carbine, a caliber 45 and caliber 40 pistols and dried marijuana leaves. Forensic examination of the cal.45 Norinco pistol seized from Luib established a match with two (2) cal.45 bullets and nine (9) fired cartridge cases recovered from the crime scene at SBMA. Luib’s fingerprint standard also matched the latent prints lifted from the side mirror of the getaway Yamaha Mio motorcycle used in the shooting.
With these “smoking gun” evidence, Coronel said they now have an airtight case that they will file in court against Luib, and all those who conspired for the hit job including the victim’s brother Dennis and two others.