MANILA, Philippines – Before he finally tapped a cop to be his gunman, the alleged mastermind of Enzo Pastor’s murder reportedly tried to get a cheaper gun-for-hire, police revealed on Thursday, August 28.

In a press briefing at Camp Crame, Criminal Detection and Investigation Group (CIDG) chief Police Director Benjamin Magalong said one of the men they had apprehended for an unrelated case had claimed he was offered money to kill the Euro NASCAR racer but turned it down.

Alvin Nidua, a “priority target” known for his involvement in gun-for-hire activities, was nabbed by the CIDG after a “brief armed encounter” on August 13 in Taguig City. He has outstanding warrants for various charges.

Magalong described Nidua as a small-time gunman who charged around P5,000 ($114) for his services. He was charged for robbery with homicide, frustrated murder, and reckless imprudence resulting in homicide.

During Nidua’s interrogation, police said he also “admitted” to have been contracted to kill a certain “Dong” of Ususan, Taguig city; the vice mayor of Antipolo city; a municipal councillor of Pampanga; and the ABC president of Tarlac. 

Magalong said police are still investigating Nidua’s claims.

The alleged mastermind behind Pastor’s death is businessman Domingo de Guzman III who is now in police custody along with Police Officer 2 Edgar Angel, the confessed gunman. Angel had claimed that De Guzman paid him P100,000 (US$2,285) to kill Pastor.

Police are also looking for Pastor’s wife Dahlia, another suspect in the murder. They said they had “established” that De Guzman and Dahlia were in a relationship and that Pastor’s wife had allegedly “assisted in the planning” of his murder.

On Thursday, De Guzman and Angel underwent inquest proceedings at the Justice Department. The two face murder, frustrated murder, and illegal possession of firearms and ammunition charges in connection with Pastor’s death.

Pastor and his helper, Paolo Salazar, were driving a truck carrying a race car for the Asian V8 Series at the Clark circuit in Angeles, Pampanga, when Pastor was gunned down at the corner of Congressional Avenue and Visayas Avenue in Quezon City on June 12.

Pastor’s parents spoke to media in Camp Crame on Thursday, and thanked Interior Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas II and PNP deputy chief for operations Police Deputy Director General Felipe Rojas for the arrest of the suspects.

The Pastors said they were “shocked” and “surprised” when Enzo’s wife was linked to his murder. Tomas Pastor, Enzo’s father, had earlier said Dahlia did not attend her husband’s wake. – Rappler.com

 *$1 = P43.75