Pilapil recounts ordeal to police

MANILA, Philippines - Veteran actress Pilar Pilapil, who was stabbed during a carjacking incident Thursday in Marikina City, has narrated her ordeal to police investigators.

Pilapil described the two suspects who figured in the carjacking and police investigators expressed hope that it would help identify the culprits.

Chief Superintendent Samuel Pagdilao Jr., director of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), said they are presently preparing the composite sketches of the two suspects based on the description given by the 60-year-old actress.

Pagdilao heads the Special Investigation Task Group Pilar composed of elements from the CIDG, the Marikina City, Antipolo City and Pasig City police, the Highway Patrol Group and the Crime Laboratory of the Philippine National Police (PNP).

“Once the composite sketch is out, we will conduct follow-up operations to possibly get the suspects,” he said in an interview.

The CIDG director admitted that they have not yet established the whereabouts of Pilapil’s niece, Rossel Rosalem Peñas, and the carjacked gold Kia sedan.

Task Force Pilar is looking into robbery, carjacking and kidnapping as among the possible motives.

Pagdilao said Pilapil gave her statement in her hospital bed at Medical City where she was recuperating from seven stab wounds. Attending doctors has declared her out of danger.

Vice President Jejomar Binay visited the actress at the hospital and confirmed that the CIDG has taken over the investigation.

“She has plenty of contusions because the suspects were stabbing her while she was still in the car. She is very conscious. But the most serious wound she sustained was the stab wound in her chest that almost pierced the lungs,” Binay said.

Pilapil described the suspect who attacked her as between 25 and 30 years old; 5 feet tall, brown complexioned, slightly heavy in built, and wearing a polo shirt and dark pants. He spoke fluent Tagalog.

The actress said she could recognize the suspect if she saw him again.

Hours before the incident, Pilapil said Peñas picked her up at the Robinson’s Galleria in Quezon City and together, they proceeded to Marikina City to meet somebody.

However, as their vehicle was cruising along the Riverbanks in Barangay Barangka, two men, armed with a knife and an ice pick, barged in through the unlocked side door.

At this juncture, one of the suspects dragged Pilapil to the backseat and started stabbing her despite her pleadings.

At knifepoint, the suspects ordered Peñas to drive on until Pilapil was dumped at the Piedra Blanca Subdivision in Barangay San Luis in Antipolo City.

Residents of the area rushed her to the Antipolo District Hospital. She was later transferred to Medical City.

Pagdilao said the carjacked vehicle was registered in the name of a company.

He said they are now coordinating with business firms along the Riverbanks to determine whether their closed-circuit TV cameras have footage of the suspects. - With Jose Rodel Clapano, Jaime Laude