Revenge angle eyed in Echiverri ambush-slay

Police are looking at revenge as a possible motive in the ambush-slaying of the son-in-law of Commission on Elections Chairman Benjamin Abalos’ elder brother in Mandaluyong City last Monday.

Superintendent Ericson Velasquez, Mandaluyong City police chief, said Dr. Nicolo Echiverri, also a distant relative of Caloocan Mayor Enrico Echiverri, may have been targeted for ridding the ranks of caddies at the Wack-Wack Golf Club of drug addicts.

The 43-year-old doctor had led a team of city health workers in conducting mandatory drug tests a few weeks back. Most of those found positive for drug use were sacked.

"Revenge is one of the angles we are pursuing at the moment," Velasquez told The STAR as reiterated that they are ruling out robbery and politics as motives behind the slay.

The police chief said they are also trying to find out if Echiverri’s involvement in the drug tests had something to do with the death threats he received prior the ambush last Monday.

Earlier, Metro police chief Deputy Director General Avelino Razon Jr. confirmed reports that Echiverri had been receiving death threats, but he refused to reveal details.

"As far as I know, the victim had been receiving death threats in the last two weeks, which he reported to police," Razon said.

Echiverri’s father in law, Dr. Arsenio Abalos, confirmed the death threats during a meeting yesterday with Velasquez at his office.

"Our investigation is taking shape. But going into details could prejudice the conduct of our probe," Velasquez said.

He said his men are now in the process of tying up the loose ends. "It would take a little patience and we explained this to the family. They understand the situation."

Velasquez said they have six witnesses, including Dr. Abalos, who was in the area when gunmen peppered Echiverri’s maroon Mitsubishi Lancer (UNB 312) with bullets at the corner of Celia and San Rafael streets in Barangay Plainview at 8 a.m.

Abalos said he was on board his car and saw the suspects fleeing the scene.

It was the doctor who rushed the bloodied Echiverri to the Mandaluyong City Medical Center without knowing that the bloodied man he was helping was his son-in-law.

Velasquez also took into custody tricycle driver Zenon Eder, 35, and his passenger, Lauro Ludo, who claimed the suspects commandeered the vehicle at gunpoint.

Eder said the suspects, all armed with caliber .45 automatic pistols, disembarked at the far end of San Rafael street and casually walked toward Martinez street.

Meanwhile, Mandaluyong Mayor Neptali Gonzales said the city’s peace and order is holding despite the ambush of Echiverri and the recent killing of a driver during a failed payroll robbery.

"The crime incidents in the city are not yet at an alarming level. The police are exerting their utmost effort to solve the two cases," Gonzales said in an interview.