Cops in Lozada case no show at NBI

The 11 members of the Philippine National Police Intelligence Group (PNP-IG) allegedly behind the fatal shooting of a hotel executive and a young woman along Araneta Avenue in Quezon City Thursday last week, failed to present themselves to the National Bureau of Investigation yesterday.

Oscar Embido, head of the NBI’s Intelligence and Special Operations Division, which was tasked to probe the incident, said the policemen called-up his office and requested that their appearance be rescheduled to Monday.

Those who failed to appear for questioning were team leader Superintendent Edgar Iglesia and team member Police Office 1 Frederick Taala, PO1s John Bolati, Arnold Solas and Cherrylyn Tundayag; and Chief Inspector James Mejia, Senior Inspector Edwin Portencio, Inspectors Preston Bangandan, Cesar Pangda, Christine Tabdi and a certain Inspector Ye.

Instead of the invited IG personnel, six members of the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group identified as SPO4 Pirado Panada, SPO3s Fortunato Lachica, Raymund Reyes, Ramil Jose, SPO1 Nereo Torre and PO2 Henry Bertillo appeared at the ISOD office to clarify their participation in the incident. Embido said the statements of the CIDG agents will be taken on Monday along with those of the 11 IG operatives.

Embido said that the NBI is still evaluating the testimonies of seven witnesses it has under its custody.

Killed in the incident were 48-year-old Fernando Lozada, chief steward of the New World Hotel and a resident of 49 Ferdinand St., Vista Verde Executive Village in Cainta, Rizal and Marian Unson, the friend of his daughter Clarissa Frances, 17. Clarissa was seriously wounded in the incident.

Lozada, Clarissa and Unson were driving home along Araneta Avenue in Quezon City when their Mitsubishi Lancer was flagged down by the gunmen, who were on board two parked vehicles.

Lozada may have sensed trouble and sped-off. The suspects fired at the victims’ car and pursued them to Maria Clara street in Barangay Sto. Domingo.

There, the gunmen, who were not far behind, again reportedly opened fire, hitting Lozada in the back of the neck. The victims’ car then crashed hard into a gutter.

At this point, the gunmen, apparently not yet satisfied, reportedly stopped right in front of the victims’ vehicle and peppered it with bullets.

Investigators of the Central Police District theorized that the shooting could have been a case of "mistaken identity." Reports earlier said that the PNP-IG elements were conducting a follow-up operation in the area against suspects in a kidnapping case when the shooting happened.