By Jhon Aldrin Casinas
The police are still facing a blank wall on who are those responsible in the drive-by shooting in Mandaluyong City on Sunday.
A shooting incident happened along EDSA between Boni Avenue and Shaw Boulevard in Mandaluyong on Feb. 18, 2019. Two passengers of the van were killed by unidentified motorcycle riding in tandem gunmen. (JUN RYAN ARAÑAS / MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)
“As of now we still continue looking (for) some leads and the possible angle... and motive of this incident,” said Chief Supt. Bernabe Balba, Eastern Police District director.
“We are hoping to collect more (evidence) to identify the perpetrators of this shooting incident,” he said.
Jose Luis Yulo, 62; and driver Allan Nomer Santos, 55, were killed on Sunday afternoon when two unidentified motorcycle-riding men fired shots at their white Toyota Grandia van while cruising along EDSA southbound lane.
Another passenger, 38-year-old stock broker Esmeralda Ignacio who got hit by bullets on her upper lip and left arm, is now stable and recovering from her wounds at VRP Medical Center in Mandaluyong City.
Balba also said that they are still verifying if the two motorcycle-riding men who were captured in the video driving near the van of the victims were the ones responsible in the killing.
In a CCTV footage shown to the media Thursday, two men on motorcycle and wearing helmets drove on the right side of van of the three victims. A few moments later, the bullet-riddled vehicle stopped.
Not registered to Yulo
Meanwhile, the Caliber .38 revolver recovered inside the bag of Yulo on Sunday was not registered under his name.
“We have found out that the firearm that was found in the things of Mr. Yulo... was not registered under the name of Mr. Yulo,” Balba said
“It’s (registration) was revoked in 2009 and it was registered under the name of Mr. Romeo de Jesus Jorge,” he added.
Balba said that they are still investigating if Yulo received threats prior to the shooting. He added that they still have to talk to the family of Yulo who, for the meantime, asked for space to mourn their dead.
On the other hand, Balba said that Special Investigation Task Group Yulo (SITG-Yulo) discovered records of several firearms and ammunition registered under the name of Yulo.
“We have found out that Mr. Yulo has a total of 31 assorted firearms registered under his name and 17 of those firearms have expired licenses,” Balba said.
Balba furthered that one of the businesses of Yulo, Casile Leisure Resources Inc., was given a permit to deal firearms and ammunition in 2012 and that lasted for five years.
Meanwhile, Balba clarified that Yulo was the respondent of the grave threat case filed by a woman against him way back in 1985.
It was also learned that Yulo was charged with 14 cases of violation of the Anti-Bouncing Check Law in Makati City.