5 hurt in NLEX ambush

GUIGUINTO, Bulacan , Philippines  – Five persons including a Filipino Chinese trader and two children were injured, while one escaped unhurt in an ambush along the spur road of the North Luzon Expressway at Barangay Tabe here yesterday morning.

The victims who where rushed to the Bulacan Medical Center in Malolos City by passing motorists, were identified as Alfamil Yap, 40, the owner of Metallica Club in Quezon City; his wife Andrea Sevilla, 34; children Angelo Kent, six; and Alwina, four; and his mother-in-law Elizabeth Mercadero.

One of their companions, identified as Eco Mercadero, the brother-in-law and assistant of Yap was unhurt in the shooting and was able to fire back at the suspects.

The victims are all residents of Bagong Silang, Caloocan City, but maintain a house at Menzyland Subdivision in Malolos City.

Superintendent Aurelio Ducay, this town’s police chief said the victims were on board a white Ford Expedition (VOU-888) and had just entered the NLEX through the Tabang toll plaza at 11:07 a.m., as evidenced by a toll card found inside their vehicle.

However, they were fired upon by unidentified suspects on board a blue Toyota Altis about two kms. from the Tabang toll plaza.

“Pagdating namin sa ilalim ng tulay ng Tabe, pinutukan na kami mula sa likod kaya pinadapa ko agad ang mga kasama ko,” said Mercadero in an interview with The STAR at the Bulacan Medi­cal Center.

He said the suspects used a long fire arm and shot them from the back which riddled their vehicle with bullet holes from the back to the front windshield.

Bullets that pierced through the Ford Expedition’s heavily tinted windows hit the victims particularly Yap.

Mercadero said he was able to fire back at the assailants and have even emptied two magazines of his .45 caliber.

“Kung hindi siguro ako gumanti, baka hinintuan pa kami at tinuluyan,” he said.

Police recovered empty shells from M-16 assault rifle along the NLEX spur road, and empty shells from .45 caliber inside the Ford Expedition.