The Muntinlupa police has placed the city under heightened alert following an attack by unidentified gunmen on City Administrator Roberto Bunyi Wednesday night.
Bunyi, a nephew of Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye, sustained a gunshot wound in the back after three suspects peppered his car, a white Toyota Revo, with bullets along Bruger Street in Barangay Putatan at around 8:40 p.m.
Muntinlupa police officer-in-charge Superintendent Alfredo Valdez said the order, which placed the whole city under tight security, came from Mayor Aldrin San Pedro.
“During day time, mobile cars are stationed at designated areas while during night time, identified zones where checkpoints were put up are kept open,” Valdez said, adding that these measures aim to check on suspicious groups or persons.
Bunyi was driving his car when the suspects fired at him several times. The gunmen were on board a motorcycle.
Valdez said they recovered at the crime scene 20 shells from a .45 caliber pistol.
Bunyi survived the ambush and is now recuperating in an undisclosed hospital.
San Pedro said the attack may have been carried out by people opposed to the clearing operations conducted by the city government and the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) at the Alabang viaduct.
He said he has been receiving complaints from pedestrians and business establishments concerning obstructions and illegal structures.
The city government pushed through with the clearing operations at the Alabang viaduct by demolishing illegal shanties in the area.
“We are just doing our job,” San Pedro said, referring to the systematic dismantling of illegal structures and the transfer of ambulant vendors facilitated recently by the city government in coordination with the MMDA. – Rhodina Villanueva