‘Slain bizman tagged in murder of lawyer’ BY JUDY F. PARTLOW Police investigators are looking at potential motives in the killing at around 6 a.m. Sunday of a businessman earlier tagged as the alleged mastermind in the murder of a lawyer two years ago, also in Dumaguete City. Supt. James Goforth, Dumaguete Police chief, identified the fatality as Alan Laurente, 43, a used car dealer and proprietor of the Virgo Motors in Sibulan, Negros Oriental. He said one of the leads they were pursuing was the victim’s business involving the buying and selling of secondhand vehicles, some of which were discovered to be “hot cars”, for which cases against him are now pending in court. The victim’s live-in partner also told the police that he had previously received death threats. Laurente was riding his bicycle in Barangay Camanjac, Dumaguete City, when two suspects on board a motorcycle rode up and shot him at close range. Laurente was hit at least four times and police investigators have failed to recover slugs or spent shells at the crime scene. Goforth said initial police investigation showed at least two wounds to the temple and chest of Laurente that were fatal. The police are also considering a relation to the death of lawyer Archer Baldwin Martinez, who was murdered in broad daylight at his office in Dumaguete on August 5, 2011. Police investigation then showed that a suspected triggerman had pointed to Laurente as the alleged mastermind behind the death of Martinez, who had handled a case involving the sale of a “hot car”. Goforth said they have identified some potential witnesses in the shooting of Laurente.*JFP
