QCPD rules out media job as reason for photojourn shooting

The Quezon City Police District (QCPD) ruled out Joshua Abiad's profession as a photojournalist as the reason for last week's shooting incident that left him and his family members, including children, injured.

According to QCPD Director Police Brigadier General Nicolas Torre III, the recent ambush was not connected to Abiad’s work covering operations against illegal drugs, based on the police’s investigation into the matter.

“Sa ngayon pwede ko na sabihin talaga, this is not an attack on journalists,” he said in a report by JP Soriano on GMA’s “24 Oras Weekend” on Sunday.

“Alam na namin kung saan sila sinimulang pick up-in ng surveillance, saan nagsimulang mag-posisyon ang gunman, kailan, anong oras, pati ang kanilang route ng escape,” he added.

(As of now I can say that this is not an attack on journalists… We already know where they started to be picked up by the surveillance, where the gunman started to position himself, what time, and even their escape route.)

The police earlier said it could not yet disclose the motive for the crime, saying this would preempt the results of the investigation and alert those involved.

Abiad, a photographer for Remate Online, was in his vehicle with his relatives on Thursday afternoon when another vehicle blocked their way in Barangay Masambong, Quezon City. Two gunmen opened fire, while a motorcycle rider was said to have acted as a lookout.

He is currently recuperating, while two children who were inside the vehicle are still in the intensive care unit.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Friday announced the creation of a special investigation task group (SITG) to probe the ambush, with PNP Chief Police General Benjamin Acorda Jr. ordering an expeditious investigation. — Jon Viktor Cabuenas/DVM, GMA Integrated News