Add'l security ordered for ambushed lawmaker

MANILA, Philippines - Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. ordered yesterday additional security for Kapatiran ng mga Nakulong na Walang Sala (Kakusa) party-list Rep. Ranulfo Canonigo, who underwent surgery after being shot by unidentified gunmen outside his home in Marikina City.

Belmonte led lawmakers in condemning the attack last Sunday against Canonigo.

House Secretary-General Marilyn Barua-Yap said the lawmaker is now in “very stable condition” after undergoing an emergency operation on his neck that was hit by one of the bullets fired at him.

She said he also sustained fractures in his arm.

The Speaker has dispatched House sergeant-at-arms Nicasio Radovan to the hospital and to coordinate with the police to keep track of the case.

Ang Kasangga party-list Rep. Teodorico Haresco, in a statement, condemned the attack and urged authorities to swiftly but thoroughly solve the case.

“The authorities must immediately get to the bottom of this incident to allay the fears of our citizens on the peace and order situation in the country,” Haresco said.

ACT Teachers party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio, on the other hand, urged the police to take swift action and bring the perpetrators to justice.

“We call on DILG Secretary Jesse Robredo to render particular attention to the case since it involved once again assassins riding in tandem and acting with apparent impunity,” Tinio said.

Police face blank wall

National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Director Alan Purisima said they are still trying to establish the motive behind Canonigo’s ambush.

“We have still to talk personally to Rep. Canonigo. We wanted to know who could be after his life,” said Purisima, adding that Special Investigation Task Force (SITG) Canonigo was formed to probe the incident.

Police Officer 3 Efren Antor, officer-on-case, said Canonigo received a death threat last month through a text message on his cell phone.

Quoting Canonigo’s security aide Filomino Saranilla, Antor said the lawmaker just laughed off the death threat.

Antor said Canonigo spent the weekend in his hometown in Zamboanga del Norte and was fetched at the airport by Saranilla and his stepson, John Paras, 39, when he arrived at 2:24 p.m. Sunday.

The group had lunch at a mall in Marikina City before proceeding to Canonigo’s house at Ilang-Ilang St., Fairlane Subdivision in Concepcion Uno.

Paras said he parked the car in front of the house and was opening the gate when he heard gunshots.

Saranilla, who was in the front passenger seat, ducked when the shots rang out.

Canonigo was slumped in the back seat and Paras and Saranilla rushed him to the nearby St. Matthews Hospital.

Antor said they are still gathering witnesses to the shooting. “What we established is that there are four suspects, riding in tandem in two motorcycles, involved in the shooting incident,” he said, adding that the gunman was the back-rider of one of the motorcycles, while the occupants of the other vehicle were lookouts.

After the shooting, the lookouts approached Canonigo and left hurriedly after seeing him slumped in the passenger seat.

Police claimed that the suspects are not professionals. “Despite the lawmaker’s condition, the suspects could have opened fire at him to finish him off had they been professional killers,” a policeman said.

Police recovered four spent shells from a .45 caliber pistol at the crime scene.

Canonigo was brought to the St. Luke’s Hospital Sunday night but failed to talk as he was still in the operating room.

Antor said they would return to the hospital anytime yesterday to get the statement of Canonigo, a second-term lawmaker.

EPD director Chief Superintendent Francisco Manalo said Canonigo refused to reveal the people he suspects to be behind the attempt on his life.

“When asked who could be after his life, the lawmaker said he has something in mind but refused to reveal them,” said Manalo.

“Aside from his work as a lawmaker, we are looking into other angles like politics, and the threat on his life,” said the EPD director.

Manalo said they are looking for witnesses to help police artists prepare the facial composite sketch of the suspects. – Non Alquitran