Authorities are tracking down five “persons of interest” behind the shooting incident that wounded photojournalist Joshua Abiad, six of his relatives, and a bystander in Quezon City last week.
Speaking to reporters in Camp Crame, Quezon City on Monday, Philippine National Police (PNP) spokesperson Colonel. Jean Fajardo said this is based on the investigation of the Quezon City Police District (QCPD).
She declined to give more details while follow-up operations are ongoing.
The PNP official also said that the suspects are members of a professional gun-for-hire group.
Fajardo said the license plate used by the suspects for their getaway vehicle in the crime belongs to another vehicle, noting that they have traced the true owner of the plate used.
“So if there is any indication, these are the ones who tried to ambush one of our colleagues in the media, this involves a professional group. We are careful in giving information because BGen. Torre said earlier we don’t want to preempt but they already have the lead and hopefully can make an arrest within this week. They are confident they will arrest the suspects behind the attack,” Fajardo said.
Last week, PNP chief General. Benjamin Acorda Jr. ordered the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) and the Quezon City Police District to expedite the investigation and quickly identify the suspects behind the shooting of Abiad, a photojournalist of newspaper Remate.
He said the PNP is actively collaborating with the victim’s family and colleagues in Remate to acquire more information to help in the investigation.
QCPD chief BGen. Nicolas Torre III said aside from the photojournalist, also wounded in the attack were members of Abiad family: Renato Jr., Cheryl and Elizabeth, three minors aged 6 and 8; and Jeffrey Ngo Cao, a bystander and resident of Barangay Apolonio Samson, Quezon City.
On Monday, the QCPD confirmed that the photojournalist’s four-year-old nephew who was also wounded in the attack has died.
Initial reports showed the Abiad family was heading home on board their vehicle, driven by Renato, when they were ambushed by four unidentified assailants at the corner of Corumi and Gazan streets in Barangay Masambong, Quezon City on June 29.
The QCPD chief said that the suspects then immediately fled towards Del Monte Avenue, also in Quezon City, using their getaway vehicle. Vince Lopez