MMDA official's son hurt, driver slain in Laguna ambush

MANILA, Philippines -- Six heavily armed men shot dead a driver and critically wounded a son of a Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) official during an ambush in San Pedro, Laguna yesterday.

Police said Johnny Agbay was driving Mico Esquivel, 14, to school when the suspected communist guerrillas, riding two tricycles, strafed their Mitsubishi Pajero using Armalite rifles along Juan Luna street in Chrysanthemum Village, Barangay San Vicente at around 7:15 a.m.

Calabarzon police director Chief Superintendent Perfecto Palad said Agabay, a bodyguard of MMDA sidewalk clearing operations group chief Roberto “Bobby” Esquivel, died on the spot from six gunshot wounds.

Esquivel’s son, Mico, sustained five gunshot wounds and is being treated at the Asian Hospital in Alabang, Muntinlupa City.

Laguna provincial police director Senior Superintendent Manolito Labador said witnesses spotted six men at a “gotohan,” a roadside eatery that specializes in rice porridge, near the crime scene at 5 a.m.

Labador said upon seeing Esquivel’s son was hit, the gunmen were heard saying in Filipino, “This is not our target.” Witnesses told police that the gunmen opened the window on the driver’s side and grabbed Agbay by the neck, then shot him in the head with a .45 caliber pistol.

Police said the elder Esquivel was the real target after leaflets belonging to a group identified as “Partisano” or the Partidong Marxista-Leninista ng Pilipinas were recovered at the crime scene. The leaflets denounced Esquivel’s activities at the MMDA.

Palad said communist guerrillas sentenced Esquivel to death because of his job at the MMDA.

One of the tricycles used by the suspects was recovered in Pacita Complex, also in San Pedro. Palad said armed men snatched the tricycle from its owner, a certain Victores, hours before the ambush.

Victores is now under the custody of the San Pedro police, who are gathering witnesses to get a description of the suspects.

MMDA Chairman Bayani Fernando, in a statement, called on the Philippine National Police to find the gunmen who attacked Esquivel’s driver and son.

Asked if the incident could be related to Esquivel’s work, Fernando said it is too early to say. MMDA general manager Robert Nacianceno asked the public not to jump to conclusions by linking the ambush to the agency’s sidewalk-clearing operations.    – With Non Alquitran, Arnell Ozaeta, Mike Frialde