Murder charges to be filed vs Manila City Hall exec

The Manila Police District (MPD) is set to file murder charges against an official of Manila City Hall who shot dead a jeepney driver over a parking space altercation last Wednesday.

This developed as three witnesses, who earlier sought the assistance of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), have executed affidavits identifying the suspect.

The affidavits were submitted to the MPD’s homicide section late yesterday afternoon by NBI agents led by National Capital Region (NCR) chief Ruel Lasala.

The case stemmed from a traffic altercation in Tondo, Manila where Noli Sugay, the executive assistant on police matters of Manila Mayor Lito Atienza, reportedly shot dead Aries Luriz, 27, of Tondo, Manila.

The three witnesses, which included the victim’s mother Rosario, 61, his brother Alexander, 37, and his nine-year-old nephew, gave their statements to the NBI for fear of a whitewash of the case by the Manila police.

The charge of murder against Sugay will be filed with the Department of Justice early tomorrow morning upon the request of the victim’s family.

MPD-Homicide Section head Chief Inspector Alejandro Yanquiling Jr. said he requested the NBI to turn over the case to the Manila police as the suspect himself voluntarily surrendered to the Manila police.

Sugay, accompanied by Manila City Hall legal officers Maureen Tolentino-Vila and Mayo Ramos, presented himself to MPD director Chief Superintendent Pedro Bulaong last Friday.

In front of mediamen, Sugay neither confirmed nor denied the allegations against him. "I will answer the charges in the proper forum," he told reporters.

Sugay was allowed to leave the MPD headquarters since no formal charges have been filed against him at that time, said Yanquiling.

According to the witnesses, the shooting was precipitated by a verbal altercation between Luriz and Sugay, whose car was reportedly blocked by the victim’s jeepney in front of the victim’s house at the corner of Coral and Dagupan streets in Tondo.

At the height of the argument, witnesses said Sugay pulled out a gun and shot the victim once on the forehead. Sugay then reportedly casually boarded his car, a white Toyota Fortuner with license plate ZCG-783, and sped off towards Tayuman street.

Luriz expired at the Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center while undergoing treatment.

Lasala assured the victim’s family that the NBI will closely coordinate with the Manila police so that justice may be served.

The eldest brother of the victim, Alexander, appealed to Atienza not to intervene in the investigation and prosecution of the case.

"He should not cover up for Sugay," he said in Filipino. — With Evelyn Macairan