Homicide investigators of the Manila Police District (MPD) are now reviewing the security camera footage of Philtrust Bank branch along N. Reyes Street in Manila in connection with the shooting of varsity basketball player Marnel "Mac" Baracael on July 24.
Police are eyeing the possibility that the bank's closed-circuit television camera, which points to the street, may have captured the incident or part of it.
According to police, they noticed that footage captured at 8:20 p.m. showed three bystanders standing infront of the bank as if waiting for someone.
At 8:28 p.m. the footage caught a commotion in the area, which police assume was the time when Baracael was shot. The three men caught earlier in the footage, however, remained in position.
Police said there is a strong possibility that the men acted as look-outs of Baracael's shooter.
"Kung sa ordinaryong mga tao, magpupulasan o mag-uusyoso kung may ganyan, pero sila, ni hindi umalis sa puwesto," said section head Chief Inspector Dominador Arevalo Jr.
The MPD said it will invite Baracael's companions Ron Cabagnot and Robert Kave to view the footage to help them identify the suspect or suspects.
They have also written to Far Eastern University (FEU) president Lydia Echauz to help in the probe. Police also invited FEU Tamaraws head coach Glenn Capacio and athletic director Anton Montinola to give additional information related to the incident.
Police are currently looking at the game-fixing angle as a possible motive for the attack.
Earlier reports said the bank management did not want to surrender the footage to the authorities, saying the video did not contain anything related to the incident. With a report from Maan Macapagal, ABS-CBN News