Two bodyguards of a mall owner’s son have been arrested and will be charged in connection with a broad daylight shooting in Makati City, police said Wednesday.
Senior Superintendent Gilbert Cruz, Makati police chief, said Juanito Cruz and Samson Fernandez were being held at the police station for investigation.
Cruz said complaints of damage to property have been filed against the suspects.
Fernandez, a security guard, opened fire four to five times while he and Juanito were driving a white Ford Expedition on De La Costa Street Tuesday afternoon, shattering the windows of Planters Bank building, the police chief said.
The suspects reportedly opened fire after their car and another sports utility vehicle, a black Ford Expedition, rammed into two taxi units.
“We have six complainants against the two, not only the taxi drivers. The Planters Bank’s security officers, represented by Henry Perez, will also file a complaint because their building was also damaged by the shooting,” Cruz told radio dzMM.
Based on witnesses’ accounts, it was Fernandez who opened fire. The two have undergone paraffin tests on Tuesday and if they tested positive police might file indiscriminate firing charges against them, Cruz said.
He said slugs from a 9mm pistol have already been sent to the crime laboratory. The pistol, meanwhile, has yet to be recovered by the police.
SUVs traced to mall owner’s son
“Aside from that, we are also checking the papers of the two Ford Expeditions. Initially, the vehicles are under the name of ‘auto sales’ and addressed to Harrison Plaza. We want to know who owns these vehicles so that charges will also be filed against the owner,” Cruz said.
Citing witnesses' accounts, the police official said the vehicles are owned by Robert “Roby” Puyat Martel, son of Harrison Plaza owner Antonio Martel Jr. The young Martel has been charged with frustrated parricide by his wife for allegedly beating her up.
Tension gripped Makati City Tuesday due to the shooting. Taxi driver Rodolfo Arcaina recalled that the SUVs rammed his vehicle. He said instead of apologizing, the suspects threatened to hurt him and then sped off.
Cruz said the two SUVs crashed into another taxi driven by Gales Beinbenido.
“I think the suspects were showing off because they were using new Expedition vehicles and one of them, the white back-up vehicle, even had a blinker. They think they can get away with this,” Cruz said.
Reports said police are now hunting down Martel and three others in connection with the Makati incident. With TV Patrol World