DPWH undersecretary remains in critical condition at hospital

03/16/2009

Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Undersecretary Ramon Aquino remains in critical condition after unidentified armed men ambushed him in Manila last Wednesday afternoon.

Aquino’s family requested prayer for the speedy recovery of the undersecretary for operations in Luzon.

In a text message sent by Aquino’s family to the media, the family requested prayer for his speedy recovery.

“Let us all pray for him right now. He is in dialysis right now and after that the doctors will do a very risky liver surgery and they do not guarantee if he makes it,” reads the text that spread at 8 p.m. Saturday.

The text message further said: “His damaged liver is the caused of the extensive fluid retentions causing his kidney to swell in congestive heart failure. Let us ask the Lord to let him live.”

The family has yet to release new statement to the media.

The Task Force Aquino has yet to release any development on the attempted slay of Aquino.

Chief Supt. Roberto Rosales, Manila Police District (MPD) director, said there were five suspects, including a woman lookout and two gunmen. The three rode on two motorcycles driven by two other companions.

The MPD has placed the security guards of the DPWH under investigation.

Rosales said the guards assigned to the gate of the DPWH when the ambush took place last Wednesday on A. Bonifacio Drive in Port Area, Manila will be questioned by investigators.

“The guards assigned are under investigation. They did not do anything. They are unarmed but they should have noticed something before the ambush,” Rosales told reporters.

Rosales also said apart from the attempted slay of Aquino, the guards will be investigated on the robbery last week into the offices of DPWH Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. and undersecretary for administration Bashir Rasuman.

“I personally find it odd that when the incident happened, the guard on duty had his back turned,” Rosales said, adding the guards are under a security agency whose services were contracted by the DPWH.

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) earlier had joined the Task Force Aquino to probe the attempted slay.

This was bared by NBI Director Nestor Mantaring, saying the bureau is part of the task force created by Rosales.

Rosales earlier had ordered the tight security on Aquino who is confined at the Manila Doctors’ Hospital for treatment. Aquino, who is in charge of Luzon projects and chairman of Central Luzon region’s bids and awards committee, sustained bullet wounds in the head, abdomen and chest.

“The NBI is part of the task force. We will conduct probe in coordination with MPD Director Rosales. All possible angles will be looked into,” said Mantaring in an interview.

Aquino’s driver Victor Salonga and aide, Antonio Canalete, were also hit by bullets in the face.

Reports said Aquino was riding a Toyota Fortuner when gunmen fired at them on Bonifacio Drive in Port Area.

Aquino was on his way to Malacañang for a meeting and had just left his office when they were fired upon as their vehicle stopped at a traffic light only a few meters away from the DPWH compound at 3:10 p.m. Wednesday.

Rosales said a review of the footage of closed-circuit television camera installed on the DPWH compound. But the CCTV installed in the area is said to be not focused on the area at the time of the ambush.

The MPD director said they are ruling out the possibility that the attempted slay has a link to the burglary that occurred at the offices of DPWH Ebdane and Undersecretary Bashir last week. PNA

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