Nueva Ecija bus shooting may be due to personal reasons -police

The shooting of the two passengers onboard a passenger bus in Carranglan, Nueva Ecija may be due to personal reasons and not because of their businesses, police said Thursday. 

Interviewed on Unang Balita, Carranglan,Nueva Ecija Municipal Police Station chief Police Major Rey Ian Agliam said that based on their assessment, the killing may have also been planned.

“May ano doon sa babae, may pagbabanta [the woman was receiving threats],” he said. 

“May theory kami na ito ay 'Plan B' na ng assassination sa dalawa. Parang plan B na nila ito, kasi merong sasakyan itong mga biktima. Ang pinagtataka namin bakit sila nag-commute at papaano nasundan. ‘Yan ang aalamin namin. Magba-backtracking po kami,” he added. 

(We have a theory that this is already 'Plan B' for the assassination of the two because the victims have a car. We are wondering why they commuted and how they were followed. That's what we will find out.) 

Agilam said that the victims were live-in partners and had their own businesses.

“‘Yung babae po is medyo maluwang ang saka diyan sa Cauayan and dati siyang may palay buying station. May mga paupahan rin po. ‘Yung lalake may negosyo na related sa bakery,” he said.

(The woman has a pretty big farm in Cauayan and she used to have a rice buying station. She also has rental properties. The man has a business related to bakery.)

Agliam said that the police conducted hot pursuit operations on Wednesday against the suspects who reportedly hid in the mountains.

“Ang mga suspects ay bumaba ng bus, then tumawid sa ilog, then umakyat ng bundok. May mga eyewitness tayo…na umakyat ng bundok ang dalawang suspect,” he said. 

(The suspects got off the bus, then crossed the river, then climbed the mountain. We have eyewitnesses saying that the two suspects went to the mountains.) 

According to a Saksi report on Wednesday, the now viral video showed the suspects shooting the two victims, who were seated in front of the bus, at close range.

After shooting the victims in the head and neck, the suspects casually got off the bus.

Agliam also said the victims boarded the bus that was bound for Manila at Cauayan City, Isabela while the suspects boarded the bus in Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya. —Giselle Ombay/ VAL, GMA Integrated News