MANILA, Philippines—The fresh attempt on the life of Talisay Vice Mayor Florencio Manimtim Jr. was planned, his security aide said Thursday.
Joel Caringal, the lone bodyguard who was with Manimtim during the attack, told police that he chased the gunman who shot the vice mayor three times at around 11:30 a.m. Thursday while walking to his van inside the complex of the sprawling SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City.
“I was walking alongside my boss when I heard two shots. I heard a third shot as I tried to turn, I ran after the attacker but I was not armed, we are not allowed to bring guns inside a mall,” Caringal told police.
The mall’s traffic security officers said that the gunman with two others escaped on board a red Honda CB 110 motorcycle without plates.
“The driver wore a helmet and I ducked when the gunman pointed a caliber .45 at me,” said one of the enforcers who asked not to be named.
He said that he could not describe the two other suspects although they wore no helmets or masks since “everything happened so fast.”
“I tried to block them but they would have run me over and even pointed a gun at me,” he said.
Caringal said that they did not often go to SM Mall of Asia and he believed that the attack could have been planned.
The bodyguard however said that he could not think of any particular person who would want his boss killed, despite being hit too when Manimtim was attacked during his mother’s burial in Talisay, Batangas last year.
“We were both shot during his mother’s burial last year. I have been with him for roughly two years now,” said Caringal.
According to Batangas provincial police director Senior Superintendent Rosauro Acio, Manimtim had several security escorts but only unarmed civilian escorts were allowed inside shopping malls.
Caringal said that there were five bodyguards with Manimtim that day but he was the only one allowed inside the mall.
Meanwhile, hospital security chief Leonito Dacera said that the vice mayor was in stable condition but added that “had the drive to the hospital been longer, his condition may have worsened.”
“He made wheezing sounds while breathing when he was rushed into the operating room,” Dacera said.
Manimtim sustained three gunshot wounds, one on his side and two on his back, he said.
Police Officer 2 Giovanni Arcinue, an investigator from the Pasay City police, said that Manimtim was admitted to the hospital at around 11:40 a.m.
Several supporters of the vice-mayor from Talisay, Batangas went to the hospital to donate blood.