Philip Salvador. FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — A businesswoman, previously linked to actor Philip Salvador, and her 22-year-old son survived an ambush Wednesday afternoon by two motorcycle-riding gunmen in Quezon City.
While Cristina Decena and her son Danilo were unhurt in the attack, their 46-year-old housemaid Helen Felesco was wounded after bullet fragments and splinters from the shattered left passenger window of the black Starex van (TQO-131) they were riding in hit her on different parts of the body.
Felesco was rushed to the United Doctors Medical Center (UDMC) for treatment of her wounds while the shooters fled on a commandeered water delivery service tricycle when their motorcycle broke down after it was deliberately rammed by the victims’ van.
Supt. Edmundo De Guzman, Quezon City Police District (QCPD) La Loma station commander, said Decena’s group was attacked shortly after 1 p.m. Wednesday, at the corner of Banawe and Simoun streets, Barangay (village) Matalahib in Sta. Mesa Heights.
De Guzman said that Danilo was driving the van, with his mother and Felesco as passengers, when the two men on a motorcycle rode near the vehicle’s left side. As the motorcycle drew near the passenger side, one of the two men suddenly pulled out a handgun and started shooting. The van’s passengers were able to duck for cover and dodge the bullets.
The motorcycle then overtook the van and the driver instinctively rammed the gunmen’s motorcycle. Upon seeing the wounded Felesco, who was then seated behind him, bleeding from several wounds the younger Decena drove to the nearest hospital.
The La Loma police station commander said that after the suspects’ motorcycle was hit by the van, the bike malfunctioned leaving the shooters without any means to flee.
De Guzman said that the duo tried to steal a taxi but could not start its engine. Left with no other recourse, the gunmen commandeered an Aqua Pure delivery tricycle, which was then passing along Banawe Avenue and fled in the direction of Manila.
Agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) later fetched Decena from the UDMC.
The station commander ruled out robbery as a motive for the slay attempt on the businesswoman and said that his investigators have been checking on persons holding a personal grudge on Decena as responsible for the attack.