Carlo Balao, 25, a student of the Center for Culinary Arts (CCA) and a resident of Rizal Village, filed a complaint with Precinct 9 of the Makati City police after his Ford pick-up truck was riddled by bullet holes.
An interview with Mrs. Elizabeth Salud, the mother-in-law of Balao, revealed that the incident took place at around 4:10 a.m. yesterday along Makati Avenue.
According to Salud, her son-in-law was involved in a traffic altercation in front of Where Else Disco at the Hotel Intercontinental in Ayala Center.
Balao, in his Ford F-150 truck, was beside a Toyota Corona driven by a man in his early twenties accompanied by a young lady.
A heated argument between the two men ensued with the driver of the Corona insisting that his car had been hit by Balao’s truck.
Moments later a group of men believed to be with the driver of the Corona approached the two vehicles which prompted Balao to take off for fear of trouble.
According to Balao, he recognized the lady inside the Corona as a classmate at the CCA and immediately called her up on her mobile phone.
He tried to ask her what the problem with her companion was, but all he heard was an angry male voice shouting profanities.
Balao then received several text messages from a man who introduced himself as a certain Ariel Maganto who made threats against him and his family because of the traffic altercation.
The messages contained demands for payment of damages to Maganto’s vehicle and threats to wipe out Balao‘s family.
Balao proceeded to Capone’s Bar along Makati Avenue where friends were waiting for him.
He told his friends about the incident and was informed that the person who sent him the messages was a son of General Maganto.
Even before he was able to take his seat inside the bar, Balao said, he and his friends heard several gunshots outside.
The group rushed out of the bar to check out the commotion and saw Balao’s F-150 truck riddled with six bulletholes.
Bystanders claimed that the culprits were on board a Honda Civic with its lights turned off.
Balao and his friends then went to Precinct 9 to put the incident on record but were reportedly given a hard time initially by the policemen on duty.
Mrs. Salud said that Balao was told about how influential the suspect was and that he was a godson of former President Fidel Ramos.
Efforts by The STAR to contact Maganto and his son went futile yesterday. — Marvin Sy