BOC studying motives for ambush of two officials

MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Customs will begin this week its investigation into the ambush of two of its officers in Makati City, a BOC official said yesterday.

Assistant Commissioner and spokesman Vincent Philip Maronilla said they have yet to establish the motive behind the shooting on Friday night of BOC’s Formal Entry Division officer-in-charge Maricon Manalo, 56, who was driving her gray Toyota Altis with license plate number DAH-1406, with FED principal appraiser Marietta Lasac, 60, and office worker Cherelen Salazar as her passengers.

Maronilla said while they have already began their coordination with the Philippine National Police (PNP), which is investigating the incident, they have not yet zeroed in on the motive behind the attack that transpired along Lapu-Lapu Avenue near the corner of Victoria Street in Barangay Magallanes, Makati City.

Customs Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero had ordered the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS) to conduct its own probe into the incident.

The BOC has not yet had the chance to interview the victims, who were given time during the weekend to recover from the injuries they sustained as well as the shock of being ambushed.

Asked if the victims had been receiving death threats, Maronilla said: “Honestly, we have not asked them yet. We gave them the weekend to recover. Maybe tomorrow (Monday), we’ll start asking them in aid of our investigation.”

The “victims are still recovering from the incident so most likely we will be getting some information from them in the coming week,” he added.

Initial information gathered by the police reportedly showed that the victims were on their way home when four armed men on board a vehicle blocked their path, smashed the windows of Manalo’s car and ordered them to get out of the vehicle.