QCPD: Case of photojournalist shooting solved but not closed

Two weeks after the shooting of photojournalist Joshua Abiad and his family in Barangay Masambong on June 29, the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) said Thursday that the case is already considered solved.

At a press conference, QCPD Director Police Brigadier General Nicolas Torre III said that they already have leads on all six to seven suspects who are still at large, including the alleged mastermind, a former barangay chairman in Pasay City.

“Solved ito, pero hindi closed. We consider it by the definition ng aming PNP standards… solved na ito pero continuous pa rin, open siya sapagkat ongoing naman sa ibang suspects na at large,” he said.

(It is solved, but not closed based on PNP standards... it is solved but the case is still open because we are looking for the other suspects who are at large.)

On Tuesday, authorities announced the arrest of one of the suspects, identified as Eduardo Almario Legazpi II, behind the shooting of Abiad and his relatives.

Recovered from the suspect was one calibre .45 pistol, seven live ammunition, a belt bag and one grenade Hand Frag M26A1.

Torre had earlier disclosed that the alleged mastermind of the shooting was a former Pasay City barangay chairman alias "Nanad” who allegedly contracted Legazpi’s team to ambush Abiad, who survived the attack.

“Based sa statement, the most logical explanation that remains right now is galit sa kanya ang mastermind dahil sa kanyang trabaho. Personal na galit dahil sa trabaho. Pinersonal ng mastermind ang trabaho ni Josh,” the QCPD director said.

(Based on the statement, the most logical explanation that remains right now is that the mastermind hates Abiad because of his work. The mastermind is angry at Abiad because of his work.)

According to Torre, the ex-barangay chairman has a record of having been arrested in the past over illegal drugs. 

“May record siya sa NBI (National Bureau of Investigation) na nahuli na previously for drugs din…may record sa ibang unit, sa ibang investigation agency,” he said.

(He has a record in the NBI that he was previously arrested due to drugs... there is a record in another unit, in another investigation agency.)

Torre said that the QCPD will push through with the filing of the murder and frustrated murder cases against the suspects on Thursday morning. He added that the QCPD also anticipates that one more suspect will be arrested within the day.

Abiad was onboard a vehicle with some relatives on June 29 when another vehicle blocked their way and gunmen opened fire. A motorcycle rider was also seen serving as a lookout.

One of the victim-passengers, the four-year-old nephew of Abiad, passed away days later after he was hit by a bullet in the head. A bystander was also hit by a stray bullet, according to the police. —KBK, GMA Integrated News