MANILA, Philippines - Police investigators are looking for a “mystery woman” who may hold the key to solving a slay attempt on a police officer in Quezon City last Mar. 10.
National Capital Region Police Office chief Director Roberto Rosales ordered a Metro Manila-wide search for the woman after witnesses claimed she was with Superintendent Napoleon Cauyan when four motorcycle-riding gunmen attacked him in Barangay Pinyahan.
“The woman might have had a clear look at the gunman and his companions or she might know the motive behind the attack,” Rosales said.
Chief Superintendent Elmo San Diego, director of the Quezon City Police District (QCPD), earlier claimed that Cauyan was waiting for somebody when the gunmen shot at his maroon Nissan Navarra.
Although wounded, Cauyan managed to drive his car to the nearest crowded place at the back of the Land Transportation Office building.
A witness, Freddie Bitco, 26, said the woman emerged from Cauyan’s car after it came to a stop.
“The woman was crying and shouting for help. She was seen by witnesses helping Cauyan get out of the car and directed the tricycle driver to bring the wounded Cauyan to the hospital,” Bitco said.
After the tricycle left, the woman disappeared.
“We are asking the woman to surface and reveal all what she knew about the ambush try. We assure her that she would be amply protected once she is under our custody,” said Rosales, noting that the woman is not a suspect in the case.
Bitco also described Cauyan’s attacker as a fair-skinned man with kinky hair, at least 5’4” tall and sporting a moustache. He also had pimples on both cheeks, and was wearing sunglasses and a black jacket at the time of the attack.
Cauyan is currently recovering from gunshot wounds in both arms and the right shoulder at the Armed Forces Medical Center.
Earlier, Cauyan told The Star that the attack against him is not related to the case of jueteng whistle-blower Wilfredo Mayor, who was killed in an ambush in Pasay City last Feb. 28.