Car used by gunmen who shot photog, kin in QC recovered in NE
A CAR used by the gunmen who shot photojournalist Rene Joshua Abiad and his relatives in Quezon City last June 29 on Wednesday was recovered by members of the Q.C. Police District in San Leonardo, Nueva Ecija, the Journal Group learned.
The recovery of the silver Toyota Vios with plate no. NFE 5678 came days after QCPD director Brig. Gen. Nicolas D. Torre III announced the capture of one of the suspects in the gun attack that killed Abiad’s 2-year-old niece.
Members of the QCPD Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit led by Maj. Dondon Llapitan, the QCPD District Anti-Carnapping Unit led by Capt. Rommel Marcaida, and the QCPD District Intelligence Division headed by Capt. Roger Onia found the suspected getaway car in Purok 4, Bgy. San Anton in San Leonardo, Nueva Ecija on Wednesday night..
It turned out that the assassins fled to San Leonardo municipality and hid their getaway car before going separate places. A tip from a concerned citizen enabled the QCPD to find the sedan parked at the courtyard of a house in Bgy. San Anton.
An investigation is underway to identify and arrest the persons who brought the getaway vehicle in the area.
The Journal Group learned that a Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC)-supported operation enabled the QCPD to arrest one of the suspects in the Masambong shooting identified as Eduardo Almario Legaspi II alias “Bingbong” last July 8.
The suspect, who is believed to be a “gun-for-hire,” yielded a cal. .45 semi-automatic pistol with magazine containing seven live ammunition, a hand grenade and a black motorcycle when arrested in Muntinlupa City.
Torre said they were able to track down the suspect by conducting a series of examination on all available CCTV footages in the area where the shooting incident took place, as well as all possible routes, taken by the gunmen and their cohorts.
It turned out that one of the motorcycle-riding suspects went to Las Piñas City after the incident.
Torre said they have released the name of Legaspi in public since he has been charged with illegal possession of firearms and explosives.
However, the QCPD director said they are still looking for at least seven other suspects identified only as”alias “Nanad,” “Greg,” “Juan,” “Marlon,” “Oca,! “Mata/Alexis” and “SBoy.’
One of the suspects was described as a former barangay chairman in Pasay City who was believed to have ordered the “hit job” on Abiad whom he has been suspecting as the one feeding information to his rivals and social media bashers.
Torre said that members of the QCPD Special Investigation Task Force “Abiad” are tracking down the rest of the suspects.
The official said that the attack might have been triggered by the former barangay captain’s “grudge” against Abiad for allegedly using his friends in the media to write unsavory articles against him.
Abiad sustained two gunshot wounds during the attack on June 29. His three relatives, both minors, were also wounded but one of them who is only 2-years-old, died in a hospital several days after the incident which took place at the corner of Corumi and Gazan Streets in Bgy. Masambong.
Also wounded in the gun attack were the other relatives of Abiad identified as Renato Jr., Cheryl and Elizabeth and a bystander named Jeffrey Cao.
CCTV footages showed that at least four men on a car and a motorcycle were involved in the shooting.
