No motive yet in slay try vs Customs man

Police are still clueless as to the possible motive for the ambush of a Customs district collector at the Port Area in Manila Friday night, the third Customs official to be targeted in two days.

Lawyer Felipe Bartolome, Customs district collector at the Manila International Container Port (MICP), and his two policemen-bodyguards PO1 Raul Declaro and PO3 Ricardo Castillo were wounded in the attack staged by at least three heavily armed men.

Bartolome’s driver, Customs guard Erwin Melmida, sustained four bullet wounds and was killed on the spot.

Homicide investigator SPO4 Alfredo Salazar said the three men were treated for bullet wounds at the Manila Doctors Hospital. Bartolome was hit in the left shoulder, Declaro in his left knee and Castillo in the stomach.

Salazar is set to talk to the victims who remained sedated until yesterday morning.

"I still have to interview the victims this afternoon (Saturday) to get a clearer picture of the ambush incident, and to determine the motive for the attack," Salazar said.

Investigation showed that at about 7 p.m. Friday the victims were on board Bartolome’s gray Hyundai Galloper (SFX-338) when two motorcycles overtook them while ascending the southern portion of the Del Pan Bridge.

As the van reached the Anda Circle in front of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) building, one of the suspects holding an Armalite rifle stopped the vehicle and opened fire at the victims while two others also fired shots.

Melmida was instantly killed in the first volley of gunfire. Witnesses said Bartolome’s two policemen-bodyguards retaliated and fired at the attackers. Though wounded, Bartolome and his bodyguards were able to get out of the vehicle and run away from the ambush scene.

Witnesses said one of the gunmen took an attache case from Bartolome’s vehicle. The suspects then escaped on board the motorcycles.

A firearm license, a permit to carry firearms and an identification card showing Bartolome as a confidential agent of the National Bureau of Investigation were recovered from the scene. An empty Armalite magazine was also found by investigators.

Last Thursday night, the Cebu deputy collector for operations and a Customs examiner were killed in an ambush perpetrated by two motorcycle-riding men in Cebu City.

Despite having a witness in the ambush, investigators admitted they were having difficulty tracking down the assassins, who wore bonnets.

Police said the witness, a scavenger, was only able to describe the built of the gunmen.

"Without a description of their faces, it may be difficult to get them at the soonest possible time," one veteran investigator said.

The Western Police District-Homicide Section said the witness has been placed under police custody to ensure his safety.

Police said they are now coordinating with the family of Bartolome to determine possible enemies the Customs official may have had.