DBP employee ambushed in Makati

MANILA, Philippines –  An employee of the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) was shot dead by two unidentified gunmen on a motorcycle as he was driving to his office in Makati City yesterday.

The Makati City police said victim Roldan Hernandez, 50, who works for the DBP’s Office of the Legal Counsel, was at the wheel of his green Mitsubishi Lancer (NYX-251) when he was ambushed by the two gunmen at the corner of Zapote street and Kalayaan Avenue in Barangay Olympia at about 7:45 a.m.

Police said Hernandez had just left his house in nearby Barangay Kasilawan when the shooting happened. According to the victim’s 23-year-old son, Roldan Jr., his father was a very quiet man and usually kept his problems to himself. Roldan said he has no knowledge of anybody who may want to harm his father.

Roldan said they have not received any death threats. “We are not aware that he has enemies. There were no signs that his life was in danger,” he told The Star.

Roldan however noticed that his father was uneasy when he was home yesterday afternoon.

“He was trying to tell me about a man’s name and a cell phone number. However, he was not able to tell me anything,” he said.

Roldan said the route taken yesterday by his father was his usual route to the office. “He may have been under surveillance. That was his shortcut,” he said.

Police Officer 3 Rico Caramat of the Makati police’s Criminal Investigation Division said the gunmen fired three times at Hernandez, killing him instantly. Initial reports reaching the Makati City Police Station 1 said Hernandez was shot once in the head and twice in the body. Caramat said three spent shells from a .45 caliber pistol were recovered at the crime scene.

Police said witnesses failed to jot down the license plate of the gunmen’s motorcycle and the killers wore full crash helmets.