Gun used in businessman's murder traced

MANILA, Philippines - The owner of a firearm used in the murder of a Mandaluyong City businessman two months ago in Malabon City has been identified, police sources said yesterday.

“Examination by our forensic firearms examiners of recovered cartridge cases at the scene where Michael Buquid was gunned down enabled us to identify the caliber of the weapon used and also its registered owner,” the source, requesting anonymity, told The STAR yesterday.

He said the gun used in the killing of Buquid was a .45 caliber Norinco pistol. He withheld the name of the gun’s registered owner pending investigation of the case.

“Definitely, we will summon the owner of the weapon,” the official said.

Buquid, owner of the drug firm 20th Pharma Trade in Mandaluyong City, was shot dead by two motorcycle-riding gunmen at around 1 p.m. on July 20 in front of a restaurant in Malabon City.

Police linked Buquid’s death to the alleged P16.5 million scam claimed by Valenzuela City businesswoman Myrna Ojeda Tan.

Tan said Buquid and his two associates Sebastiana Dadia and Consolita Tutanes – her family friends – persuaded her on the first week of June to finance a P49.9-million joint venture project to supply medical equipment to the Malabon City government.

She said that after she shelled out a total of P16.5 million for the project, Buquid was killed. Tan said that after Buquid’s death, she uncovered that their supposed joint project was non-existent.

Tan filed estafa charges against Malabon City administrator Benjamin Villacorta, Marlon Marquina, Rafael Jose, Anabelle Caparas, and Evangeline Arenga, she claimed all city hall employees, including Dadia and Tutanes for allegedly conspiring to defraud her of P16.5 million.

Villacorta has denied the allegations, saying the scam appeared to be the work of a “purely private” syndicate and no city government employees are involved.