NCRPO chief orders probe of beerhouse shooting

MANILA, Philippines - National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Director Alan Purisima ordered yesterday an investigation into a shooting in Marikina City where the two gunmen identified themselves as policemen from “Bicutan.”

The gunmen shot a beerhouse owner and three others after she refused to hand over weekly “tong” or protection money to them.

“I doubt it if the suspects were really from Bicutan. But just the same, I ordered an investigation to ferret out the truth and punish those responsible for the crime,” Purisima said in an interview.

The two men went into the Jae Cris Videoke Bar in Barangay Concepcion and asked owner Cecilia Pascua, 47, about her weekly protection money. They said they were from Bicutan, and investigators said the gunmen could be referring to the NCRPO headquarters in Camp Bagong Diwa, which is in Bicutan. When Pascua told them she does not give protection money, the gunmen left in haste.

They returned minutes later and shot at the people in the beerhouse, hitting Pascua; waitress Agnes Pagkalinawan, 45; waiter John Ray Agustin, 21; and customer Arnel Lumaad, 24.

Purisima directed Senior Superintendent Gabriel Lopez, Marikina City police chief, to dig deeper into the incident, and identify and arrest the gunmen.