Makati offers P100k for arrest of barangay watchman who killed 2 on NYE

MANILA, Philippines - Makati Mayor Romulo “Kid” Peña on Monday said the city government is offering a P100,000 reward for any information that would lead to the arrest of a barangay watchman who while drunk, fatally shot a 25-year-old man and a seven-year old child on New Year’s Eve.

Peña said there is unverified information saying that suspect Raymundo Liza is no longer in Metro Manila.

Liza, 40, is a bantay bayan or watchman of Makati’s Barangay Southside which is also being claimed by Taguig City as Barangay Pinagsama.

On New Year’s Eve, a drunken Liza appeared at the Barangay Southside house of victim Mark Angelo Diego, 7, as he and his family were celebrating New Year’s Eve past 12:20 a.m.

Initial police investigation said Liza arrived aboard a motorcycle and challenged John Edward Pascual, 25, to a fight. Pascual was a guest of Diego family.

Police said  Liza then pulled out a caliber .45 pistol and shot Pascual several times. One of the bullets, police said, hit the boy who was nearby.

Another guest of the family, Israel Lava, was also injured in the shooting after he was hit by a stray bullet. He is now recovering at the Ospital ng Makati.

Liza fled on foot after the shooting and has since gone into hiding.

The case was initially investigated by the Makati Police but the probe was later transferred to the Taguig City Police.

Taguig City Police chief, Supt. Arthur Asis said they would be filing a complaint for murder against Liza. The Taguig Police has also started coordination with their counterparts in South Cotabato after learning that Liza is a native of Polomolok.  

Diego – who was shot in the head -  died on Friday night after being comatose at the Ospital ng Makati. Pascual meanwhile died on January 2 also at the same hospital where he was rushed for gunshot wounds in the chest.