3 killed in home of Banco Filipino owner

MANILA, Philippines – Three security aides of thrift bank Banco Filipino owner Albert “Bobby” Aguirre were killed in a shooting incident on Saturday evening, local news media reported.

Aguirre is safe, according to a report of ANC on Sunday, April 8.

The incident reportedly took place in the Las Pinas residence of Aguirre and was reported to the police before midnight of Saturday, April 7, according to Interaksyon.com, the online news portal of TV5.

The online news portal of TV5 identified the casualties as “PO3 Luisito Makatunaw, SPO2 Melvin Padapa (retired) and David Mangguerra (security guard).”

Unidentified men broke into the Aguirre’s residence around 11:30 p.m. on Saturday and shot the 3 casualties in the head, radio dzBB reported.
 
Macatunao was a member of the Philippine National Police’s Police Security and Protection Group (PSPG), the radio report added.

Citing Las Piñas City police chief Senior Superintendent Romulo Sapitula, dzBB also reported that no valuables were taken taken from the compound.

While robbery has not been disregarded as a motive of the gunmen, the police are reportedly investigating other possible angles.

Meantime, Banco Filipino lawyer Perfecto Yasay said he has yet to keep in touch with Aguirre as he just learned of the incident this noon.

No other details were provided. 

Troubled finances

Also referred to as “Bobby,” the polo-playing Aguirre is the main personality behind the troubled Banco Filipino Savings & Mortgage Bank.

On March 17, 2011, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas ordered the closure of Banco Filipino for the 2nd time. The first time was in the 1980’s but the Aguirres won a favorable Supreme Court decision citing the 1980’s closure as illegal.

The resolution placed the bank under receivership and barred it from continuing its business operations in the country due to “unsound banking practices,” including a Ponzi-like scheme or the fraudulent practice of using new deposits to pay old ones.

Banco Filipino lawyers had argued that the bank was not insolvent–a position that would have been supported if BSP agreed to extend a P25 billion financial assistance. 

Funding sources for the bank has become limited. It was also delisted from the Philippine Stock Exchange on March 10, 2011 for failing to regularly submit quarterly and annual earnings reports.

Of generals and Banco Filipino

Bobby is the brother of Adolfo Aguirre, the previously estranged father of former presidential ex-girlfriend-turned-gameshow-host Shalani Soledad.

Adolfo, or “Adie,” was a former chair of Banco Filipino.

Bobby and Adie have a sister based in Canada but have been barred from returning to the Philippines due to inheritance issues among the siblings.

The family has sued former Bangko Sentral governors and officers, as well as each other.

The Aguirres have former generals and police officers in the board of their companies, as well as security aides.  

Their father, Tomas Aguirre, is a Filipino capitalist who named streets at BF Homes villages in Paranaque City after beauty queens. – Rappler.com