Garayblas washes hands of stray bullet victim’s death – QCPD

The chief investigator of the Quezon City Police District yesterday accused the camp of lawyer Rafaelito Garayblas of “escaping liability” for the death of bystander hit by a stray bullet during an ambush attempt on the Manila City official last Thursday.

Superintendent Franklin Moises Mabanag, chief of the QCPD’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit, bared yesterday that a bystander initially reported as among those injured during the gunbattle had died at the St. Luke’s Medical Center.

Mabanag said Teresita Manuel of Roxas District, Quezon City died at 10:08 p.m. Thursday while undergoing an operation for a gunshot wound she sustained in her back.

She expired only two hours after she was accidentally hit by a stray bullet during the gunbattle between the assailants and Garayblas’ security escorts at the corner of Quezon and Araneta Avenues at around 8 p.m. that night.

According to Mabanag, they only found out about Manuel’s death after her family approached the QCPD.

“St. Luke’s (Medical Center) is charging the family P158,000... They (Manuel’s family) cannot bring home her remains... (Garayblas’ camp) refuses to shoulder these expenses,” Mabanag told The STAR in an interview.

Mabanag said they suspect the stray bullet that hit Manuel came from Garayblas’ camp but cannot ascertain since Garayblas’ camp refuses to cooperate in the investigation.   

“They don’t even want to file a formal complaint,” he said.

Mabanag earlier said Garayblas’ security aides failed to exercise caution in firing their guns during the shootout, causing bystanders to be hit by stray bullets.

Garayblas, a lawyer who works as a secretary to Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim survived the ambush in Quezon City, wherein gunman Christopher Abasula was killed while eight others were injured, including Garayblas’ son and two security aides and several bystanders.

Meanwhile, Mabanag said bystanders Andy Tupaz, who was at the crime scene with his brother Baltazar, and Zosimo Buco, a vendor – both injured by shrapnel and stray bullets during the gunbattle – tested positive for gunpowder nitrates on their right hands.

Mabanag, however, refused to classify the two men as suspects in the case, saying: “Logic dictates that if they were really among the suspects, why didn’t they shoot at Garayblas’ camp when they were hit by the shrapnel and stray bullets? And besides, where could they have placed their guns?”

He said they will continue with the investigation despite the lack of information that would lead to the resolution of the case.

Mabanag earlier said the attack could be related to transactions made by Garayblas after an official receipt of a white Nissan Sentra (NIX 777) registered to the Office of the City Administrator of Manila was seen tucked in a red Honda XRM motorcycle used by Abasula. – Reinir Padua