Hospital owner killed, 3 pals wounded in Bulacan ambush

CALUMPIT, Bulacan — A hospital owner here was killed while his three companions were wounded when two ski mask-wearing men fired at their vehicle last Sunday afternoon, police said.

Dr. Norman Josue, 55, owner of the Sta. Cruz Hospital in Barangay Poblacion and brother-in-law of Calumpit Mayor James de Jesus, died while being treated for his gunshot wounds.

Wounded were driver Rafael Camua, 44; Neneth Francia, 35; and engineer Lino Ignacio, 55.

Prober PO3 Roel Manansala said Josue’s group had just come from the fiesta celebration in Barangay Bulusan at about 1:10 p.m. when a red Toyota Altis blocked the black Kia Sorrento they were riding in along the Hagonoy-Calumpit Road.

Two ski mask-wearing men alighted from the Toyota Altis and fired at Josue’s car with short and long firearms.

Witnesses rushed the victims to the Sta. Cruz Hospital where Josue died. His companions were later transferred to an undisclosed hospital.

Police found 21 empty M-16 shells, 19 9-mm shells, three caliber .45 shells, 10 live M-16 bullets, two deformed slugs, and a spring from an M-16 rifle magazine at the crime scene.

Elements of Criminal Investigation and Detection Group found the gunmen’s vehicle abandoned in Barangay Iba-ibayo in Hagonoy town.

De Jesus condemned his brother-in-law’s killing, which he believes was politically motivated. He, however, did not name any suspects.

He said Josue had no known enemies. 

De Jesus recalled the still unresolved killing on May 22, 2004 of former Calumpit vice mayor Arthur Garcia, who served as his campaign manager during the local elections.

Motorcycle-riding men gunned down Garcia in front of his house in Barangay San Juan, Hagonoy town.

Garcia was the first victim of election-related violence in the province since the 1990s. — Dino Balabo and Ric Sapnu