Police official, wife shot dead inside house in Muntinlupa City

An official of the Muntinlupa Police Station and his wife were shot dead by an unidentified man inside their house in Alabang, Muntinlupa City early Monday morning. 

The fatalities were identified as Police Captain Aminoden Mangonday, chief of the Community Affairs Section of the Muntinlupa Police, and his wife Mary Grace.

Their 12-year old daughter sustained gunshot wounds and brought to the hospital for treatment.

Initial police report said that the perpetrator, wearing black jacket and pants, went inside the house of the victims in Tierra Villas along Ilaya Street at about 1:10 a.m. 

In an interview on Super Radyo dzBB, Police Major Hazel Asilo, chief of the Public Information Office of the Southern Police District, said the gunman went to the second floor of the house and shot Mangonday who was sleeping.

"Nangyari ito 1:10 am nang pumasok ang isang lalaki sa tahanan ng biktima, umakyat sa 2nd floor kung saan natutulog ang pulis na biktima, binaril sa ulo. Narinig ng asawa kaya tumayo at nang makita ay pinagbabaril din ang asawa," Asilo said.

(The suspect went inside at 1:10 am, went upstairs to the second floor where the police victim was sleeping and was shot in the head. The wife heard the commotion and was also shot dead when she saw  the suspect.) 

"Ang pulis na biktima ay parang nakahiga sa sala, natutulog, nasa kwarto nila 'yung asawang babae tapos nasa kwarto niya 'yung bata," she added.

(The police victim was sleeping in the living room upstairs, while the wife and their child were in the bedroom.) 

Asilo said Mangonday's daughter went out of her room to see what was happening and she was also shot by the gunman. 

She said the door of the victims' house was open since they were expecting their staff to return. 

"Isa lang 'yung suspek. Nagkataon na bukas 'yung pinto ng kanilang bahay kaya naka-akyat 'yung suspek. Usual na nakabukas ang pinto dahil sa negosyo ng mag-asawa so 'yung mga tao nila nang ganung oras ay gising na para sa deliveries at negosyo," she added. 

(We only have one suspect. He was able to enter because the door was open. The door was usually left open for deliveries because the couple had a business.) 

The employees of the victims were not in the house when the incident happened.

Asked for the motive in the killing, Asilo said they are still checking all possibilities as the police official had no known enemy or threat.

"Itong pulis naming ito ay involved sa police community, non-combatant, more on police community relations ang trabaho niya...Wala pong banta o kaaway, sa ngayon wala po. Ang biktima ay napaka active sa community," she said. 

(The police victim is involved in the police community, he is a non-combatant, his work was more on police community relations…We haven’t discovered any threats to him so far. He was very active in the community.) 

In July, Mangonday was recognized for being an "Outstanding PCAD Junior Police Commissioned Officer."

Asilo said investigators are also checking the closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage in the area which could have captured the gunman.

Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said that there are already persons of interest in the case. 

“Meron na po silang persons of interest po at tinitignan 'yung anggulo na may kinalaman sa negosyo at personal po,” said PNP spokesperson PCol. Jean Fajardo in Dano Tingcungco’s report in 24 Oras.

(They already have persons of interest and the possible angle behind the crime could be related to business and personal life.) 

“Isang anggulo ‘yun kung saan tinitingnan na yung isang biktima natin ay idinemanda po 'yung tatlong personalities po sa kanyang business… Online live selling ng cosmetics. Dahil sa matagal na nila itong sinimulan, malaki na rin ang involved na pera,” said Muntinlupa Police chief investigator Police Capt. Fernando Niefes.

(One of the angles we are looking at is that one of the victims filed charges against three personalities in relation to their business of online live selling of cosmetics. They were working together for a long time, so there is a large amount of money involved.) 

Muntinlupa Mayor Ruffy Biazon condemned the attack on the Mangonday family.

"We condemn in the strongest terms the brazen attack on the family of PCPT AMINODEN MANGONDAY which has resulted in the death of the police officer and his wife and the wounding of his daughter," he said in a press statement.

He said the act of violence against a law enforcement officer and his family "should be investigated thoroughly, leaving no stone unturned to find the perpetrators and the mastermind and prosecute them."

"The people of Muntinlupa mourn for this loss of a fellow public servant and his wife," he added. —Vince Angelo Ferreras/AOL/RF, GMA Integrated News