Wealthy doctor, family escape ambush-slay try in Cebu City

A doctor who was reportedly an investor in the Aman Futures pyramiding scam, his wife, son and bodyguard escaped unharmed  when they were fired upon past midnight Monday in barangay Labangon in Cebu City.

Dr. Rico Medina Jr., 57; his wife Arlene, 56; son Benjie; and bodyguard Alan Duque were on their way home riding a Toyota Fortuner SUV when they were fired upon by three men at the corner of Woodberry Drive abd Acacia St.

Senior Supt. Mariano Natu-el, Jr., chief of police of Cebu City, said Medina’s SUV was blocked by a Toyota Corolla Vios before three men with guns alighted from the sedan.

Benjie who was driving the Fortuner, tried to evade the gunmen by reversing the SUV, but a a Toyota Innova darted from behind and blocked their path.

Benjie, however, managed to maneuver their vehicle, overtook the Vios and sped away prompting the three men to pursue them with gunfire.

Supt. Natu-el said Medina’s vehicle had at least 10 bullet holes but none of the passengers were hit.

The police recovered five empty .45 caliber shells at the crime scene.

Senior Inspector Chuck Barandog, chief of the Punta Princesa Police Station, said there was also an empty shell from a .45 caliber gun found inside Medina’s vehicle.

As the Medinas proceeded to their residence in M and A West City Homes Subdivision in Barangay Labangon, they contacted an acquaintance, SPO1 Arnold Bocayong of the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in Cebu, to inform him of the attack.  In turn, Bocayang contacted Barandog and the police mobile patrol division.

During follow up operations, the police recovered three abandoned vehicles, the Toyota Vios (with its plate marked ‘For Registration’), a Toyota Innova (conduction sticker number YJU894) and a Toyota Hi-Ace Grandia van (plate number YEA-493).

The Vios and Innova were found in Happy Valley, Barangay Labangon, at around 3 a.m. yesterday while the Grandia was found at past 7 a.m. on F. Llamas St., Barangay San Nicolas, Cebu City.

The police also recovered a .45 caliber pistol inside the Vios and three more handguns inside the Grandia. Also recovered from the Grandia were a gun silencer, a handcuff and a roll of packaging tape.

The three vehicles were impounded at the Cebu City Police Office while the police were still conducting their investigation.

A certain Marlon Amante yesterday afternoon went to the regional headquarters of the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group and told the police that the Innova and Vios were rented out by a man who had a Mindanao-based family name.

Amante reportedly owns a car rental shop in barangay Tisa. He said a man rented out the cars from June 19 to 21 for P4,000 per day. The rent contract was extended until today.

Chief Insp. Patrick Freddie Vaño of the CIDG said the man left a photocopy of his I.D card which bore the name of Aghakhan Dianalan whose residence is in barangay Guadalupe.

Meanwhile, Natu-el said the police was looking into two possible angles, kidnapping and a murder attempt. However, he refused to elaborate.

“There’s a possibility that they were either targeted by kidnappers or by hired guns,” he said in Cebuano.

When asked if there’s a possibility that the incident is linked to the Aman Futures pyramiding scam, Natu-el said” “We have no reports yet about that.”

The city police chief has ordered the CCPO Investigation and Detective Management Branch (IDMB) to take the lead in investigating the incident and to coordinate with their counterparts in Mindanao. /Chito O. Aragon and

Carine M. Asutilla, CORRESPONDENTS