Suspect in shooting of ombudsman employee nabbed

MANILA, Philippines — Police arrested yesterday the suspect in the shooting of an employee of the Office of the Ombudsman last week.

Marlon Nery, 47, was apprehended by members of the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) at his residence along Susano Road in Barangay San Agustin at around 9:20 a.m.

Probers identified Nery as the person who shot Diane Jane Paguirigan, an  administrative aide in the office of Deputy Ombudsman for the military and other law enforcement offices Jose Balmeo Jr.

Paguirigan was walking at the corner of Quezon Avenue and Cordillera street in Barangay Dona Josefa last Feb. 2 when an armed man grabbed her bag. When she resisted, the suspect shot her in the chest.

Investigators from the QCPD’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit were able to identify Nery as the gunman based on footage from closed-circuit television cameras in the area.

Seized from the suspect were several firearms, cell phones and a motorcycle.

Paguirigan is recuperating from her injury in a hospital.

The QCPD earlier formed an 11-member special investigation task group to look into the case.