Hitmen made 5 attempts to kill Phl shooting champ – probers

MANILA, Philippines - It took hitmen five tries to kill Philippine practical shooting team member Michael Lontoc in an ambush two years ago, investigators said Friday.

Jimmy Pianiar, who admitted to participating in Lontoc’s ambush, said the four earlier attempts on Lontoc’s life failed for various reasons.

National Capital Region Police Office director Chief Superintendent Leonardo Espina said Pianiar revealed his role in Lontoc’s murder when he was interrogated by Regional Intelligence Unit police officers who arrested him in Malabon last March 30.

Pianiar named his accomplices, not only in Lontoc’s killing but in other assassinations in Malabon, prompting Espina to order a manhunt for them.

According to Pianiar, the plan to kill Lontoc was hatched at a safehouse along C. Perez street in Barangay Tonsuya. They were told to carry out the assassination even during the surveillance if they had the opportunity, he said.

He said they cased Lontoc’s house in Muñoz, Quezon City in August 2011 but they did not kill him due to a lack of opportunity.

In the first week of September 2011, the group proceeded again to Lontoc’s residence but he did not leave his house the whole day, Pianiar said.

Several days later, the hitmen returned to the house but Lontoc was not there, he said.

They rented a house near Lontoc’s residence for P30,000 but the scheme did not have positive results, according to Pianiar.

In the second week of September, the hitmen were about to carry out the plan to kill Lontoc at a fastfood restaurant in Monumento but called it off at the last minute due to the presence of Malabon Councilor Eddie Nolasco and his security escorts, Pianiar said.

On Sept. 25, 2011, he said they were told that Lontoc would take part in a shooting competition at the Malabon Practical Shooting Association shooting range in Barangay Maysilo.

Pianiar said that they were armed with an Uzi machine pistol, 9mm pistols and .45 caliber pistols when they shot Lontoc as he drove through the intersection of M.H. del Pilar and Sanciangco street after the competition.