Batanes Governor and his driver wounded after being ambushed in SLEX

Miami
September 3, 2008
Story: Batanes Governor and his driver wounded after being ambushed in SLEX

An ambushed transpired early Wednesday morning, September 3, along South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) that injured a governor and his driver.

The incident transpired at around 3:25 am about 30 meters away from Merville Exit (part of Pasay) along SLEX.

The victims were identified as Batanes Governor Telesforo Castillejos, 61, and his driver Alberto Fatimo (on his 40s). They are also accompanied by the governor’s son Dominic who was left unhurt. Castillejos sustained two gunshot wound on his left shoulder and at the bottom of his skull near his neck. Fatimo sustained three gun shot wounds; two on his head and one on his left shoulder then exited on his face.

The governor is now in stable condition; however Fatimo was in critical condition.

They were on board on their Mitsubishi Pajero (SFY-395) and about to go to Domestic Airport because the governor has to go back to Batanes for a meeting. They came from their house in a subdivision in Paranaque.

According to National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) Regional Director General Geary Barias, Dominic told the authorities that he noticed they were being followed by a Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) which he cannot identify because it is dark.

The driver gave way to the SUV that seems it wanted to overtake on them at their left side. Dominic told them that he did not hear any sounds from gun, but he heard something being thrown on them then when he look at his father and Fatimo he saw them with bloods.

Barias said there is a probability that the gun that was used has silencer. The gun used was a 9mm based on the bullets recovered inside the vehicle of the governor.

Since Dominic was unhurt, he rushed his father and Fatimo to Paranaque Doctor’s Hospital in Better Living Subdivision, but later transferred to The Medical City in Pasig City at around 7:20 am.

The governor was seated beside the driver or at the front seat, while his son Dominic was seated at the back of the vehicle that is why he left unhurt.

Barias said they still have no suspects as of this moment and everything is speculation, “According to Dominic they do not have death threats, and they cannot think of anyone who can do this kind of crime to them.”

Barias has requested to PNP Chief Avelino Razon to create a Task Force which will include the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) that would investigate the incident, “If NCRPO will do the investigation, it will only be limited to Metro Manila, but with the help of CIDG, they can gather more information and can even tasked their personnel there to get the information needed.”

“We still do not have suspects, everything is speculative. There is also a possibility that this is a political angle because we learned that there is a case against him in Batanes,” Barias added.

He also added that they will coordinate with the management of SLEX if they have CCTV camera to help them determine what vehicle was used by the suspects.

Barias said that they did not able to recover any spent shells in the crime scene because it might be inside the vehicle used by the suspects. He also added that the gunmen seems to be professional because they able to know the itinerary of the governor.

Meanwhile, Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Batanes Regional Director Randolph Tabuso said that the former governor of Batanes, Vicente Cato, has filed case against Castillejos.

“The case was filed here at the legal department of DILG is abuse of authority which was filed after the 2007 elections. Other than that there are no other case against Castillejos,” Tabuso said.