Police still facing a blank wall on Divinagracia slay

By Paulo DS. Papa

PILI, Camarines Sur --- The municipal police station here is conducting tracking operations that will lead it to uncover the identity of the suspects in the killing of Raul Delfin Divinagracia, a former municipal councilor in this capital town.

The probers are also on the thick of establishing the motive behind the murder that took place near his rented apartment in Central Park Subdivision in Barangay Cadlan, here. The crime happened in the evening of Saturday, Nov. 19, this year.

Police reports said the victim suffered a gunshot wound in his torso. He was shot by a motorcycle-riding gunman who managed to flee from the crime scene together with the driver.

The assailant and his accomplice who were captured in several CCTV footages wore full-faced helmets leaving the police a hard time to establish their identities.

Police Major Maria Victoria Abalaing, spokesperson of the Camarines Sur Police Provincial Office, informed Bicol Mail that police authorities investigating the crime are still facing a blank wall.

She assured that an official statement from her office will soon be released to the press once it received a progress report on the incident.

As of press time on Wednesday, Nov. 23, the investigators are still collaborating with the victim’s family trying to gather information like death threats sent to the victim or some pieces of evidence that will lead them to get to the bottom of the crime.

She said that based on the initial results of the investigation, Divinagracia suffered a gunshot wound in his chest, causing him to die instantly. CCTV footages, however, revealed that the assailant fired his gun several times.

Divinagracia, a former municipal councilor, lost the vice mayoral post in May 9, 2022 elections to Francis Belen. Divinagracia earned 13, 802 votes while Belen achieved 19, 882 votes.