3 in Mandaluyong shootout charged

MANILA, Philippines - A businessman, a security agency owner and his companion who figured in a shootout last Saturday over a traffic altercation were charged with illegal possession of firearms and illegal discharge of firearms Monday.

It is up to businessman Jason Enralino, security agency owner Ezequiel Adora and his companion, Jomar Balanlay to file their pleadings before the court as Enralino and Adora are expected to file counter-charges against each other, said city police traffic chief Inspector Herculano Mago.

Mago said they have not talked to the three persons as they are still being treated in separate hospitals and the only witness they have, Reneboy Adora, a cousin of the security agency owner, has not given his official statement on the incident.

“Our witness (Reneboy) was standing at the right side of the vehicle while all of those wounded were in the left side. So he did not know what happened until he heard gunshots,” Mago said in an interview.

Mago said surveillance cameras at nearby shops failed to get a video footage of the incident.

Reports reaching Senior Superintendent Tyrone Masigon, Mandaluyong City police chief, showed that Enralino’s Toyota Land Cruiser rear-ended Adora’s Honda Accord atop the Guadalupe Bridge in Mandaluyong at about 6 a.m. Saturday.

According to Reneboy, Enralino and his uncle parked their vehicles beside the center island of the bridge and he heard the two parties talking about the damage of their respective cars.

A heated argument ensued, triggering a shootout that left Enralino, Adora and Balanlay wounded.