THE Mandaue City Police Office (MCPO) is looking at three angles in the ambush of Cebu Port Authority (CPA) lawyer Karen Quiñanola-Gonzales on Thursday night, Sept. 1, 2022.
During a case conference on Saturday, Sept. 3, it raised the possibility that the incident was related to her work at the CPA, that it was related to cases that she was handling outside of work, or that it was personal.
Gonzales is head of the CPA’s business and marketing department.
“Kana siyang tulo ka teory mao na atong gitan-aw karon nga gisundan sa atong imbestigasyon (These are the theories our investigation is pursuing),” said Lt. Col. Franco Rodolf Oriol, deputy director for operation and spokesman of the MCPO.
He said the lawyer’s relatives have been cooperating with authorities.
However, he said, they were not aware if Gonzales had received any threats prior to the ambush.
Oriol said Gonzales also never reported any threats to the police.
During the case conference, the MCPO created a special investigation team composed of personnel from different divisions of the MCPO to fast-track the investigation.
According to the last medical bulletin on Gonzales’ condition, she already underwent surgery and is being monitored 24 hours.
“Maayo na siguro to si Attorney Karen kay ang sa among latest medical bulletin nga nakuha makalihok-lihok na man to si Attorney Karen (I think her condition is stable since the latest medical bulletin that we received stated that she could move),” Oriol added.
Gonzales and her 19-year-old son were headed home when they were shot inside their vehicle by two unidentified gunmen riding a motorcycle on Hernan Cortes St. in Barangay Banilad, Mandaue City around 10 p.m. on Thursday.
The lawyer’s vehicle was peppered with six bullets, all of which were on the driver’s side where Gonzales was seated.
The lawyer sustained a gunshot wound on her lower left jaw that penetrated her neck, while her son had a minor gunshot wound on his back.