PNP prepares case over NAIA-3 attack

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Monday, December 23, said it is preparing a case against the suspects in the attack that killed a town mayor and 3 others at the country’s main airport.

“Right now, masasabi po namin na meron na kaming lead doon sa mga suspect. At ang tinitingnan na lang po namin is whether or not enough na po ang aming evidence to file a case laban po dito sa mga suspects,” said Senior Supt Billy Beltran, deputy district director for operations of the Southern Police District, in an interview on ANC, the ABS-CBN News Channel.

(Right now, we can say we have found leads on the suspects. And what we’re looking at is whether or not we have enough evidence to file a case against the suspects.)

He refused to identify the suspects.

Beltran heads Task Force Talumpa, which is in charge of investigating the fatal incident at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 on Friday, December 20.

The attack killed Labangan, Zamboanga del Sur Mayor Ukol Talumpa, his wife, his nephew, and 18-month-old baby Phil Tomas Lirazan. (READ: Mayor, wife shot dead at NAIA Terminal 3.)

It also injured 5 others, including a 3-year-old girl. (READ: 3-year-old girl shot in head at NAIA.)

It was the 3rd violent attack that targeted Talumpa. (READ: FAST FACTS: Mayor Ukol Talumpa.)

‘No breaks’ for PNP

The attack raised security concerns at the NAIA-3, particularly over the lack of closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras in the airport. (READ: No cameras at NAIA-3 for a long time.)

Beltran said the PNP is looking into possible motives, but declined to disclose these until the PNP files a case.

He assured the public the police is boosting security measures after the attack, as well as other issues such as a robbery at the popular SM North Edsa mall. (READ: ‘Martilyo gang’ escapes through crowd after SM mall robbery.)

“Dahil nga po dito, napakaraming ginagawa… kanselado na po lahat ‘yung usual breaks ng ating kapulisan dahil nga po sa mga insidenteng ito,” he said. (Because of this, we’re doing a lot… and we’ve cancelled all the usual breaks of our police because of these incidents.)

In a separate statement, the Department of the Interior and Local Government denounced the “treacherous” attack on Talumpa.

Interior Secretary Mar Roxas ordered the PNP “not to waste time” in filing a case against the suspects.

Roxas also reiterated his directive to boost the PNP’s presence in crowded areas, such as airports, seaports, bus terminals, shopping malls, markets, and churches, this Christmas season. – Paterno Esmaquel II/Rappler.com