The two vehicles used in the ambush of slain Senior Assistant City Prosecutor Jovencio Senados were found to have utilized fake plates, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said on Saturday, Aug. 8.

“Parehong hindi yon ang mga plaka ng dalawang sasakyan (the two vehicles used fake plates),” said NBI National Capital Region (NBI-NCR) chief Regional Director Cesar Bacani said in a text message to the Bulletin.

Senados, who resides in Laguna, was ambushed and killed while aboard his car at around 11:05 a.m. on July 7 along Quirino Highway corner Anakbayan St. in Paco, Manila while on his way to work.

Unidentified assailants used two vehicles in the crime including a black Mitsubishi Montero and a red Toyota Innova.

Investigators initially checked the plate number of the Montero and later that of the Innova after getting more closed circuit television (CCTV) footage from other areas.

Meanwhile, Bacani admitted that the lockdowns imposed at the NBI and the Manila Prosecutor’s Office has slowed down the conduct of the investigation.

The Manila Prosecutor’s Office had been on lockdown from July 16 to 19 and was followed by the NBI from July 22 to 26.

Despite this, Bacani said investigators have secured statements from the family of Senados who so far gave “general statements.”

“Sa co-workers informal pa lang kasi nagkasunod ang mga lockdown ng Prosecutor’s Office at ng NBI (For the workers, only informal statements because of the successive lockdowns at the Prosecutor’s Office and the NBI),” he noted.

Also, Bacani said the Senados family has yet to turn over the mobile phone of the victim which he pointed out is crucial to the conduct of the investigation.