Ex-soldier tagged in Aguirre attack

Manila, Philippines -  The Las Piñas police has identified a former soldier who allegedly shot dead a security guard of Banco Filipino owner Albert Aguirre during a foiled robbery in his house on April 7, an official said yesterday.

City police chief Senior Superintendent Romulo Sapitula said the suspect is former private first class Emmanuel Ocampo, who was identified through a “biodata” he left with his previous employer in Cavite Express.

Sapitula said Ocampo was “one of the players who entered the compound and one of the armed men” who shot guard David Manguera, one of the three men killed when 15 armed men broke into Aguirre’s compound in BF Homes in Las Piñas City.

The two others are Senior Police Officer 2 Melvin Padaca and PO3 Luisito Macatunao, both from Philippine National Police-Police Security and Protection Group.

Ocampo was initially identified and charged with three counts of murder before the city prosecutor’s office through his alias “Lasing-lasing.” Sapitula said the charge sheet was amended last week.

In a press briefing last month, Sapitula said Ocampo joined five other men, including two group leaders, in a meeting held at Agasi Bar hours before the attack. 

According to Sapitula, the suspects broke into the house, believing there were plenty of safeboxes inside. The operation failed because the suspects shot dead three men when the plan was not to hurt anyone.

Four of Ocampo’s alleged accomplices have already been charged for the crime last month. 

Sapitula said investigators are still trying to identify the 10 other attackers. “Once we get all of them, we’ll know who their inside man is,” he said.