MANILA, Philippines - Police are now looking into the possibility that the shooting of ABS-CBN broadcaster Anthony Taberna's coffee shop in Quezon City and the 'silent protest' of Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) members at the office of the Department of Justice in Manila are related.
However, Quezon City Police District (QCPD) Investigation and Detection Unit head, Senior Inspector Rodel Marcelo, said detectives have yet to identify or get the profile of the gunmen who shot the facade of Taberna's business establishment.
"Hindi naman isinaisantabi 'yung posibilidad na may kinalaman 'yun," Marcelo said in a phone interview.
Marcelo said QCPD probers are also looking at the work-related angle in the shooting up of the Ka Tunying's Cafe in Visayas Avenue in Quezon City.
"Alam naman natin na maraming 'nahataw' ng dos-por-dos 'yang si Ka Tunying, maraming nabanatan sa kanyang mga komentaryo sa program n'ya," Marcelo said, referring to Taberna's practice of calling out abuses in his radio program.
He said police investigators are now trying to get a clearer copy of the video footage from a surveillance camera installed at Taberna's coffee shop in Visayas Avenue in Quezon City.
"Magiging malaking tulong sa amin kapag may nakuha kaming mas malinaw na kopya nung video footage galing sa CCTV camera dun," he said.
On Thursday, thousands of INC members trooped to the DOJ main office on Padre Faura Street in Manila to protest the criminal charges filed by the agency against the INC officials regarding the alleged kidnapping of some former INC executives.
Droves of INC followers have also been calling for the resignation of DOJ Secretary Leila de Lima for purportedly interfering with the religious practice of the group.
On Friday early morning, unidentified gunmen, on board two motorcycles, fired at Taberna's coffee shop. No one was hurt during the shooting.
Taberna, an INC member, told police investigators that the suspects only wanted to harass or threaten him by shooting up his coffee shop.