De Lima bares attempt to track down third vehicle

MANILA, Philippines—There was an attempt to track down the third vehicle present when 13 people were killed in Atimonan, Quezon, last January 6, Justice Secretary Leila De Lima said Friday in an interview over Radyo Inquirer 990AM.

De Lima said it was the employer of the people on board the third vehicle who approached the National Bureau of Investigation and told them that his employees know something about the incident.

The employees are the driver and his two companions inside the third vehicle, a truck which was overtaken by the two SUVs before the shooting started.

Two of the three witnesses demonstrated to the DoJ and the NBI how the incident happened through a re-enactment at the incident area last Thursday. The third witnesses has apparently gone into hiding for fear of his life.

The truck, according to De Lima, was less than 10 meters away from where the shooting took place.

“Pinaalis na sila nung isang military nung nagputukan na ulit. So, umatras sila and then, nag maniobra na para bumalik sa Plaridel (Soldiers told them to turn around when the shooting started again. So they took a U-turn and drove off towards Plaride)”, De Lima said.

De Lima said the third man should approach the NBI so that the government can protect him.

The two witnesses have been placed under the government’s witness protection program.

For more details, listen to the audio of the interview over Radyo Inquirer 990AM