By KATE LOUISE B. JAVIER
A congressman’s personnel and his wife were gunned down yesterday morning by motorcycle-riding men in front of a cemetery in Caloocan City.
Police Officer 1 John Ree Bello, investigator on case, identified the slain couple as Justine, 45, and Margarita Bangay, 32, residents of Bagong Silang, Caloocan City.
Caloocan City Congressman Along Malapitan, confirmed that Justine was working as his “guide” in Bagong Silang.
Police said Justine and Margarita were on their way home from the market on board their motorcycle when armed men also riding a motorcycle shot them in front of Tala Cemetery around 7 a.m.
Bello said it appeared that Justine was the real target of the gunmen who wore mask as they shot him first.
Witnesses told investigators that they heard Margarita shouted: “Kilala ko kayo! (I know you)” before the suspects shot her.
Police recovered from the crime scene three empty shells and two deformed slugs of an unknown caliber of firearm.
In an interview, Senior Supt. Jemar Modequillo, Caloocan police chief, said they were looking into old grudge as possible motive behind the killing.
However, relatives of the victims said the two had no known enemy.
Also, Bello revealed that the couple was not in the drug watchlist.
“We have leads, but we cannot give it now, still under investigation,” Bello explained.
Bello said there was no closed-circuit television camera in the area.
Malapitan said he will help the only child of the couple who happens to be his scholar.