Ambushers of Esquivel's son identified

Three communist hitmen were identified as among the ambushers that killed the driver of a ranking official of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority and the wounding of his son in Laguna Monday.

Calabarzon police director Chief Superintendent Perfecto Palad said witnesses positively identified the three suspects as Chivas Gerona alias Sniper; Mateo Crisanto alias Popok; and Jessie Oro, all belonging to the Revolutionary Proletarian Army-Alex Boncayao Brigade or RPA-ABB.

Palad said they are still trying to determine whether the three suspects are active or just using their former membership with the RPA-ABB to cover up for their crime.

Gerona, one of the suspects, is the brother of Randy Gerona, an RPA-ABB member who was stabbed dead by fellow revolutionaries inside the Metro Manila District Jail in Bicutan, Taguig City on Jan. 6.

“We are just getting the statements of the last witnesses. We believe we have a strong case against the suspects,” said Superintendent Ramon Ramirez, San Pedro Police chief. 

Ramirez said they are preparing murder and frustrated murder charges against the suspects before the San Pedro Regional Trial Court anytime today.

“Now that three of the suspects have been identified and charges would be filed against them and their cohorts in court, we are considering the case as solved but not yet closed. We still have to arrest the suspects. We are following up very good leads. We hope to arrest them in due time,” Palad said.  

The suspects opened fire at the white Mitsubishi Pajero of Roberto Esquivel, head of the MMDA’s sidewalk clearing operation killing his driver Johnny Dilao, and seriously wounding his son, Romar, 14.

The ambush was staged in a populated area less than 800 meters from Esquivel’s house at Barangay San Vicente.

The suspects escaped leaving behind several leaflets claiming that they are with the Partisano (Armadong Operatiba ng Partidong Marxista-Leninista ng Pilipinas) who were out to punish the elder Esquivel whom they called berdugo.

The leaflets were signed by “Moises Leonardo,” head of the MLPP’s national operational command.

As head of the MMDA’s traffic enforcement unit, Esquivel, aside from MMDA chair Bayani Fernando, became controversial and made enemies out of street vendors and other sidewalk dwellers whose stores and houses were dismantled by the MMDA to ease the flow of traffic in Metro Manila and nearby areas.

Task Force Esquivel chief Senior Superintendent Manolito Labador said that witnesses positively identified three of the suspects through their files of communist hitmen.

Labador, who heads the Task Force in his capacity as Laguna police director, is assisted by investigators from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, PNP Crime Laboratory and the Regional Investigation and Detective Management Division (RIDMD) and intelligence agents from the Regional Intelligence Division, Intelligence Group and Highway Patrol Group.

Palad told reporters that he has dispatched several teams to track down the suspects in various places in Metro Manila, Southern Luzon and Central Luzon.

The Calabarzon police chief had also made arrangements with Metro police Director Leopoldo Bataoil regarding the security of Esquivel. “General Bataoil has committed that he will provide security escorts for Mr. Esquivel. We also have provided Mr. Esquivel the security escorts which he personally requested. We are not taking any chances,” Palad said.