Rebels eyed in PMA official's slay

FORT DEL PILAR, Baguio City ,Philippines  – The newly formed Task Force Macasaet is now looking at possibility that communist guerillas were behind the grisly murder of Lt. Col. Ferdinand Topacio Macasaet, the former head of the Philippine Military Academy’s (PMA) department of air warfare, headquarters tactics group.  

Probers are also looking into his position in the academy and his business dealings outside as they dig deep into their investigation.

Macasaet, a member of PMA Class ’89, was shot by an assassin inside the subdivision, beside the PMA, mostly inhabited by military and police officers and retired soldiers.

He was reportedly heading home on board his Mitsubishi Montero (NHO-513) inside the Pinesville Subdivision when the assassin wearing a black and red bonnet and black sweatshirt started firing.

Police described the assailant as around 40-50 years old, medium built and between five feet and five inches to five feet and seven inches tall.

Macasaet suffered multiple gunshot wounds from a caliber .40 firearm.

Probers found 11 shells of the same caliber at the scene of the crime, only a few meters from his house.