Aman member tagged in Cebu City ambush try

A MEMBER of the controversial Aman Group was identified as one of the perpetrators in Monday’s ambush attempt of Dr. Rico Medina Jr. and his family in barangay Labangon, Cebu City.

It was Medina himself who identified the assailant through a photo shown to him, said Chief Insp. Romeo Santander, chief of the City Intelligence Branch (CIB) of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO).

Medina told police that the person in the photo was the same person whom he saw in a hotel in barangay Lahug prior to the attack.

Medina said he was in the hotel to attend a meeting.

Santander said they will coordinate with the hotel management so they could acquire video footage of the hotel’s security camera to confirm the identity of the suspected gunman.

With the recent development, police said it is now confirmed that the ambush-kidnap try was related to Aman pyramiding scam.

Medina is reportedly  one of the investors of Aman Group.

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

The SUV was blocked by a Toyota Vios. Three armed men alighted from the sedan.

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

Benjie overtook the Vios and sped away prompting a chase by the three men who continued to shoot at them.

The SUV had at least 10 bullet holes but none of the passengers were hit.

Police later 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 while the Grandia was found in barangay San Nicolas, Cebu City./CORRESPONDENT CHITO O. ARAGON