THE driver of former Pangasinan governor and congressman Amado “Ama” Espino Jr. succumbed to his wounds, bringing to two the number of fatalities in Wednesday's gun attack.
Agapito Quizon expired around 6 p.m. Thursday, September 12, Pangasinan Police Provincial Office Director Redrico Maranan said.
One of Espino's police escorts, Police Staff Sergeant Richard Esguerra, was killed on the spot.
Maranan said the wounded Quizon still managed to drive and bring Espino, who was also wounded, to a hospital.
Three other bodyguards were wounded in the attack.
Meanwhile, police have identified the owners of the vehicles used by the perpetrators.
Ilocos Police Regional Office spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Crystal Peralta said the red Hyundai Elantra was registered under the name of Marivic Villanueva while the grey Ford Everest was registered to John Paul Regalado.
A source from the Philippine National Police (PNP) Highway Patrol Group (HPG), however, said the vehicles were carnapped in the vicinity of Quezon City based on their initial investigation.
Peralta urged the owners of the two vehicles to come out and clear their names.
“Wala po silang dapat ipagtago kung alam po nila sa kanilang sarili na malinis ang kanilang konsiyensiya, at may due process naman,” she said.
(They have nothing to worry about if they know their conscience is clear. They were undergo due process.)
Peralta said they are still looking for another vehicle, a Toyota Wigo, which was used by the person who served as lookout.
Police said they found various long firearms when they recovered the vehicles several hours after the shooting incident on Wednesday afternoon in San Carlos City, Pangasinan.
The red Hyndai Elantra was recovered in Barangay Cobol in San Carlos while the grey Ford Everest was abandoned in Barangay Pasima in Malisiqui.
Espino was attacked at around 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, September 11, while he was on board a Toyota Land Cruiser. His security team was onboard a black Toyota Innova.
Both vehicles were fired upon by unidentified assailants using long firearms on board two vehicles.
Maranan said they were looking for at least 10 gunmen who participated in the ambush.
He said they were still reviewing security camera footage in the area to identify the perpetrators.
Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Año police operatives are already scouring several areas in Pangasinan to track down and arrest the gunmen.
Espino was included in President Rodrigo Duterte's drug watchlist. The President, however, apologized to Espino for his erroneous inclusion in the list. (SunStar Philippines)