OUANO KILLED IN ROAD AMBUSH
It was raining heavily yesterday afternoon when gunmen ambushed Mandaue City businessman Antonio “Tony” Ouano near a road named after his family.
Two men on a motorbike stopped as a backrider took aim and fired at Ouano who was driving his sports utility vehicle.
Ouano was shot four times in the chest and belly.
The death of the 69-year-old businessman, whose family is one of the oldest and wealthiest clans in Mandaue City, adds pressure on the police to solve the latest in three roadside attacks on businessmen this week in Cebu and Mandaue Cities.
Ouano was with his secretary Nene Mangubat on board the yellow Toyota Hi-Lux Surf.
He was ambushed along Mantawi Drive about 2:15 p.m. as he was about to turn the corner to cross to the other lane of Ouano Avenue in Mandaue City, when the motorcycle-riding assailants in helmets appeared.
The violence took place several meters from the Cebu International Convention Center.
Antonio was a contractor and administrator of the Ouano Wharf, where he operated several barges plying the Mactan Channel. He also owned an arrastre firm.
He was the eldest son of the late Ernesto Ouano, according to Capitol consultant Rory John Sepulveda.
As a family tradition, the Ouanos would provide a yacht as the “galleon” to carry the image of the Sto. Niño across the Mactan Channel in the annual Sto. Niño fluvial procession, which sets off from the private Ouano Wharf.
The family also used to own the land where Gaisano Countrymall was erected in Banilad.
The police yesterday formed a task force to investigate the ambush, as business leaders called for speedy results.
Eric Mendoza, president of the Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry, called for sobriety and urged the public to wait for results.
“Ambushes are most likely determined crimes and isolated. We urge the authorities to expedite their investigation,” he said.
Mendoza said he didn’t think the case alone would dampen the interest of investors in Mandaue City but stressed that security should be improved.
“We urge the government to be more vigilant because as investments start to come in, security is among the challenges. How you keep your investors safe will determine your attractiveness to investors,” he said.
This week in Cebu City, a pension house owner was killed and a female businesswoman was shot and wounded by motorcycle-riding gunmen.
Ouano had just come from a mediation hearing over a lot dispute. He and his secretary were heading to the Regional Trial Court Branch 28 near Mandaue City Hall to attend a court hearing.
He was rushed to the Mandaue District Hospital around 2:25 p.m. but succumbed an hour later.
Two bullets pierced his left chest and two hit his abdomen.
One of three witnesses described to police how the backrider on a motorcycle drew out a handgun and shot the victim’s car several times.
A 10-year-old boy was playing in the rain with a classmate several meters away. He said he heard four bursts of gunfire and they ran away.
“There were no people around because of the heavy rain,” said the boy. The downpour started about 2 p.m.
A trisikad driver who saw the shooting said he couldn’t identify the motorcycle or its plate number because of the heavy rain.
Insp. Ramil Morpos, deputy chief of Investigation and Detection Management Branch (IDMB) in of the Mandaue City police, said the secretary told them they attended a hearing at the mediation office in the Hall of Justice regarding the complaint of their lot in barangay Looc.
Ouano and his secretary boarded the vehicle to attend to their next hearing in Branch 28 for the hearing of their case against Vilma Ouano.
Before they could get there, he was shot.
Among those who rushed to the hospital were former Mandaue mayor now Provincial Board Member Thadeo Ouano and his daughter Emmari.
Thadeo and Antonio Ouano are cousins. Both of their fathers, Alfredo “Pedong” Ouano and Ernesto Ouano, are first-degree cousins.
Thadeo told reporters his cousin was a good man who had helped many people.
He said Antonio was a businessman and not engaged in politics.
Taskforce Ouano is headed by Supt. James Goforth, deputy city director for operations.
A case conference will be held today to assess the available evidence.
Police found five empty shells of a caliber .45 pistol at the crime scene. With a report from Correspondent Jhunnex Napallacan
