Quezon City Police District (QCPD) Brig. Gen. Nicolas Torre III on Tuesday announced the arrest of one of the suspects behind the shooting incident that wounded photojournalist Joshua Abiad, six of his relatives, and a bystander in Quezon City last June 29. In a press conference held at QCPD headquarters in Camp Karingal, Torre said the suspect, identified as Eduardo Almario Legazpi, is a member of a gun-for-hire group. He was arrested in Muntinlupa City last Friday. Torre said Legazpi is one of the five suspects being hunted by the QCPD. He, however, did not divulge the identities of the other suspects while follow-up operations are ongoing. He added that a certain Nanad, a former barangay chairperson, is the mastermind behind the ambush. Torre said the village chairperson blamed Abiad as the source of negative information against him. Abiad suffered two bullet wounds during the gun attack on June 29. Two other occupants of the vehicles, both minors, were also wounded, one of them later died in a hospital. Police investigators already released images of three gunmen based on the CCTV they earlier obtained from nearby establishments. Torre said aside from the photojournalist, also wounded in the attack were members of Abiad family: Renato Jr., Cheryl and Elizabeth, three minors aged 6 and 8; and Jeffrey Ngo Cao, a bystander and resident of Barangay Apolonio Samson, Quezon City. Initial reports showed the Abiad family was heading home on board their vehicle, driven by Renato, when they were ambushed by four unidentified assailants at the corner of Corumi and Gazan streets in Barangay Masambong, Quezon City on June 29. Torre said the suspects then immediately fled towards Del Monte Avenue, also in Quezon City, using their getaway vehicle.
Source: Philippines News agency