Murdered Phl shooter taught alleged hired killer, widow says

MANILA, Philippines – Slain Philippine practical shooting team member Michael Lontoc taught target shooting to a man who later reportedly helped kill him, police said yesterday.

Lontoc’s widow, Lenny, told police investigators from the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) that Ronald Baricuatro, 37, was among several people taught by her husband how to shoot.

The gun smuggling syndicate whose leaders hired the services of Lontoc wanted Baricuatro and several others in their payroll to be “expert in target shooting for future operations,” investigators said.

Police said witnesses identified Baricuatro as the one who “cased” Lontoc’s vehicle hours before he was killed in an ambush in Malabon in September last year.

Security guards of Dasmariñas Village in Makati City arrested Baricuatro early this month while allegedly redeeming a black Yamaha Mio confiscated from British national Cristopher Leruef, tagged by the NCRPO as a financier of the gun smuggling syndicate.

The Makati City police detained Baricuatro following reports that he is facing charges of arson and murder in Zamboanga del Sur.

The NCRPO is trying to arrange a face-to-face confrontation this week between Baricuatro and the witnesses in Lontoc’s ambush-slay.

According to reports reaching NCRPO chief Director Alan Purisima, Baricuatro is a former member of the Citizen’s Armed Forces Geographical Unit in Zamboanga del Sur.

He moved his family to Barangay Catmon in Malabon City to escape prosecution on the arson and murder charges filed against him and several others. Judge Demosthenes Manginsay of the Zamboanga del Sur Regional Trial Court Branch 24 issued a warrant for his arrest.

Purisima said Baricuatro also reportedly killed a tricycle driver and wounded the victim’s brother in Bacoor, Cavite last Dec. 26 because his brother-in-law had a grudge against the two men. Baricuatro’s camp is reportedly offering the victims’ kin P150,000 to settle the case out of court, reports reaching Purisima stated.