Sketch of gunman in BIR exec’s slay out

MANILA, Philippines - The Quezon City Police District (QCPD) released yesterday a sketch of the man seen shooting Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) regional director Jonas Amora on Nov. 21.

The sketch was completed before dawn yesterday after three witnesses surfaced, said Senior Superintendent Guillermo Eleazar, QCPD director.

The gunman was described as 5’4” tall, in his 30s, slim and wearing a black jacket and denim pants at the time of the incident.

The witnesses reportedly saw the gunman without his helmet the morning of the shooting.

Police have yet to release a description of the gunman’s companion, who drove the getaway motorcycle.

Eleazar said it is possible that the two suspects were gunmen hired to kill Amora, 55, BIR-Makati City Revenue Region 8 director.

Amora died at the scene after his Toyota Innova was gunned down at the intersection of Topside Road and Katipunan Avenue at around 5 a.m. Monday.

His driver, Angelito Pineda, 50, remains confined at a hospital after suffering gunshot wounds in the right cheek and arm.

‘Strategic’

Eleazar said it is “most likely” that the ambush was set up at this intersection as the two assailants were seen stopping at the corner before the shooting, according to footage taken from a closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera in the area.

He said the ambush site was “really strategic,” given that the car had to slow down to make a right turn towards Katipunan Avenue.

In about 10 seconds, the assailant was seen getting off the motorcycle, shooting at Amora’s car and returning to the motorcycle. The attackers fled toward Katipunan Avenue’s northbound lane.

The same footage showed Pineda getting out of the Innova and walking toward the middle of the road, where he was able to flag down a taxi that brought him to the Quirino Memorial Medical Center.  

At least five other CCTV videos, starting along Marcos Highway in Marikina City, showed the assailants tailing Amora’s car before overtaking the vehicle along Topside Road in Quezon City, near the ambush site.

The assailants could have tailed Amora for less than an hour, coming from a village in Antipolo City, where the victim lived, said Senior Inspector Elmer Monsalve, head of the QCPD’s homicide division.

Recovered at the crime scene were 10 fired 9mm cartridge cases, bullet fragments and P366,750 in cash.

Eleazar said they have yet to determine the motive for Amora’s murder. Investigators ruled out robbery since the money, which was in the Innova, was untouched.

A certificate from the BIR, dated Nov. 23, showed Amora did not have any pending administrative case and has not been the subject of any investigation by the bureau.

BIR Commissioner Ceasar Dulay also reportedly ordered Amora’s office secured so that all of the victim’s documents will remain intact.