Lim’s top aide survives slay try

A lawyer working as Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim’s top aide survived an assassination attempt in Quezon City Thursday night.

The attack led to a gunfight between Rafaelito Garayblas’ two security escorts and four armed men. One of the suspects was killed, and five bystanders were wounded by stray bullets and shrapnel.

Superintendent Franklin Moises Mabanag, chief of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit of the Quezon City Police District, said the attack occurred just before 8 p.m. at the intersection of Quezon and Araneta Avenues.

He said Garayblas; his son, Paulo Ernesto, 27; and Fidel Cabuhas were on their way home to East Fairview in a Subaru Forester (GSG-808) when two of the suspects approached the vehicle’s right side and shot at them.

Security escort Jay Paningbatan, 35, was driving the vehicle. Although wounded, Paningbatan and his fellow escort, Romel Javier, 43, got out of the vehicle and engaged the suspects in a gun battle that left suspect Christopher Abasula dead on the spot.

Abasula’s companions were able to escape during the shootout. Garayblas himself was unhurt, but his son and security aides were wounded during the attack. They are confined at the University of Sto. Tomas Hospital in Manila.

Bystanders Zosimo Buco, 27; Baltazar Tupaz, 40; Andy Tupaz, 32; Ma. Theresa Manuel and Jan Miriam Paez, 14, were also wounded and taken to various hospitals.

The police have launched a manhunt for Abasula’s three unidentified companions.

Mabanag said the attack could be related to transactions handled by Garayblas, who works as a secretary to Lim.

In an interview, Mabanag said an official receipt of a white Nissan Sentra (NIX-777) registered to the Office of the City Administrator of Manila was seen tucked in a red Honda XRM motorcycle used by the suspects.

According to Mabanag, Garayblas’ camp said the Nissan Sentra was the lawyer’s backup vehicle but police investigators did not see the car at the scene of the incident.

In a statement issued by Lim’s office, Garayblas’ other son, Pio, was riding in a backup car and was the one who shot dead one of the suspects.

He said Abasula, a resident of Navotas, used a .45 caliber pistol while Garayblas’ security escorts carried .387 caliber guns.

Mabanag scored Garayblas’ camp for allegedly refusing to cooperate with police investigators.

“They didn’t let our investigators in when they went to the UST Hospital. They didn’t even want to show us the papers of the guns (used by the security escorts),” he said.

Mabanag said he has directed personnel to check with the Firearms and Explosives Division of the Philippine National Police to determine whether Paningbatan and Javier were licensed to carry firearms.

He also bared that QCPD director Senior Superintendent Magtanggol Gatdula has ordered that Garayblas’ security escorts be charged for not exercising caution in firing their guns, causing injuries to bystanders.

However, Buco, Tupaz and Andy Tupaz were made to undergo paraffin tests to determine if they were really bystanders during the gun battle.

Catch suspects  ‘dead or alive’

Lim, on the other hand, condemned the slay try on his aide and ordered the Manila Police District to track down the suspects “dead or alive.”

The Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, where Garayblas teaches, called the ambush try a cowardly act.

Lim said they were surprised why there was a slay attempt on Garayblas.

“I was informed by Garayblas there were two motorcycles – one on the left side, the other on the right. They were also riding in tandem. One of the back riders was the gunman who shot continuously,” he said.

Lim said “Garayblas ducked upon hearing the sound of gunfire… It was a blessing in disguise that he is small. If he had been a big man, he would have been hit even if he ducked.”

Lim described Garayblas as a decent man who “always upholds the law” and has no personal enemy.”

He said the attempt on Garayblas follows a slay try on Manila City Hall personnel chief Josefino Reoma, 60, last April.

Lim said Garayblas “is in the position” to determine whether the slay try is job-related. As secretary to the mayor, Garayblas recommends either the approval or the denial of contracts of projects in the city, as well as appointments of city hall employees.

He added that Garayblas has worked with him through his stints as head of the National Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Interior and Local Government.

Lim also said he did not sign any big contract for a project of the city recently.