Businessman wonders why Reds targeted him

A businessman who police said was targeted for execution by communist rebel hit men was at a loss why the Revolutionary Proletarian Army-Alex Boncayao Brigade (RPA-ABB) wants him dead.

Edwin Reyes, sought the assistance of Superintendent Ericson Velasquez, Mandaluyong City police chief, after learning from the police that five gunmen arrested last week for killing Mandaluyong police officer John-John Justo were out to kill him.

Velasquez said Reyes, an executive of a firm based in Subic, Zambales, was at a loss.

"He told me he has no blood debt or quarrel with anybody. In fact he claimed he cannot remember firing any employee from his job in recent days," said Velasquez, quoting Reyes who went to see him Monday asking for help for fear for his life and his family.

Police investigators found documents from the five gunmen’s hideout showing that they have been watching Reyes’ movements, from his house in Mandaluyong, to his office in Subic and another in nearby Makati City. It also listed the vehicles used by Reyes and his family members.

The documents were found in a bag seized from the suspects’ Mandaluyong hideout. The bag also yielded guns.

"When he saw the surveillance report, he agreed that it was him being described by whoever was shadowing him. He cannot fathom the reason why the RPA-ABB wanted him killed," said Velasquez. "Initially, he was scared. But I advised him that he has nowhere to go but to confront the problem head on."

The surveillance on Reyes started last Oct. 23 at a gymnasium.

He was being shadowed for two hours in the morning and his activities were being listed in the report. The surveillance on Reyes was done daily from Nov. 13 to Nov. 16.

On Nov. 17, the five alleged hitmen — Randy Puno, Victor Valdez, Chito Catbagan, Jobert Dumlao and Ramonit Moralidad — were on their way to carry out their mission to kill Reyes.

But Justo, who was on his way to the Mandaluyong City police headquarters, got on the jeepney they were on. He spotted one of gunmen and asked him about his gun. Justo then got off when he realized that the man was not alone.

However, the five also got down, followed Justo and then shot him in the chest and head without a word.

The five commandeered a Feroza SUV driven by Manuel Sanchez, an agent of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) but abandoned it at the corner of Nueve de Pebrero and Martinez streets after getting caught in a traffic jam. The suspects opened fire at responding lawmen, wounding three bystanders, including a three-year-old boy.

Puno and Valdez were arrested while commandeering a motorcycle. Two hours later, Dumalo and Catbagan were cornered at their safehouse in Barangay Addition Hills, Mandaluyong. Moralidad was collared later in the day.

Reyes was grateful to Justo for indirectly saving his life but was also sad that Justo lost his own, Velasquez said.

"He said Justo was his saving grace," Velasquez told reporters, adding the Reyes has planned a Thanksgiving Mass in Justo’s honor.

Meanwhile, Gilbert Medina, of the RPA-ABB’s National Capital Region command, admitted that the five gunmen were their members as he protested reports that they were being tortured by the police.

"We are condemning the torture and brutalities inflicted by some Mandaluyong (police) to the arrested persons inside the PNP station in the guise of investigation," said Medina in a statement.

Medina pointed out that even the PNP’s rules of conduct prohibits torture and other inhuman acts to any arrested civilian or combatant as a means of punishment or extracting information.

Velasquez denied the claim. He said he ordered the suspects brought to the nearest hospital right after they were taken into custody. He said the suspects’ injuries probably came from a struggle when they resisted arrest.

Medina claimed that Justo was shot when "an armed civilian arrogantly approached our men without introducing himself and drew his gun."

"In defense, our men drew also their guns and fired toward the striking armed civilian. Our members did not know that the armed civilian was a policeman," he said.

The RPA-ABB is presently in talks with the government.

"It is our policy to refrain from launching military operations against government as part of confidence building measure. Unfortunately, what happened last Nov. 17, 2006 was an encounter between our men and an armed civilian who later came to be known as member of the Philippine National Police (PNP). We did not know that he was a police officer. Our men were only compelled to defend themselves," said the RPA-ABB statement.

The rebels apologized to bystanders who were injured in the crossfire. "It was not intended to hurt them. Our policy strictly prohibits our combatants from inflicting damage or harm to those who are not target of revolutionary justice."