Biazon father and son security aides mar caucus with brawl

MANILA, Philippines—A local Liberal Party campaign caucus in Muntinlupa City was marred on Friday night by a shooting incident triggered by an altercation among supposedly allied security aides.

Muntinlupa chief of police Senior Superintendent Roque de la Vega told the Inquirer that the shooting was triggered by a brawl between a group from the “advance security party” of reelectionist congressman Rodolfo Biazon, and one bodyguard of Biazon’s son, Customs Commissioner Ruffy Biazon.

The brawl broke out at the late-night gathering at the Soldiers Hills subdivision covered court in Barangay Putatan, even as the older Biazon was speaking onstage at around 10:10 p.m., De la Vega said.

The police chief said it was the younger Biazon’s close-in security detail, Cpl.  Nelson Lubrin of the Philippine Marines, who fired the shots.

Sustaining gunshot wounds were Nilo Marollano, his son Victor Marollano, and their friend Oscar Parahili, all residents of the barangay.

De la Vega, quoting Lubrin, said the fight began with the Marollanos picking on him, calling him “suplado” and jostling him. Fisticuffs broke out when Lubrin decided to hit back, but ended up being ganged up on by the three.

The marine claimed he saw that one of the three was about to hit him with a rock and it was at this point he drew his firearm and shot his antagonists.

The elder Marollano was wounded on the left arm and left side of the torso, his son was shot on the right upper arm, while Parahili was shot in  the belly.

The wounded were rushed to the Medical Center Muntinlupa, while Lubrin was turned over by his superiors to the city police.

The wounded were transferred to the Asian Hospital and Medical Center on Saturday for surgery. All were declared in stable condition as of noon Saturday, with Parahili already discharged but the Marollanos remaining confined, De la Vega said.

Though the incident was detailed on the city police blotter, no formal police complaint had been filed against Lubrin as of Saturday, De la Vega said.