The suspects had waited for actress Kim Chiu’s van to exit the subdivision before the ambush was caught on CCTV, police investigators said.
Quezon City Police District’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit chief Major Elmer Monsalve said the special investigation task group has already obtained the CCTV footage of when Chiu’s van left the subdivision.
“Kung papaano dumaan ‘yung sasakyan nitong aktres na si Kim Chiu, makikita mo na nag-iisa lang siya. Tapos may biglang sumulpot na isang motor na naghihintay na doon sa subdivision,” he said.
“Nakaabang na talaga sa paglabas niya,” he added.
Monsalve said authorities are still working on pieces of evidence to figure out if incident was a case of “mistaken identity” as reasonable angle for the investigation, despite recent probe developments.
“’Yun ang ine-establish pa rin namin ngayon kasi kung titingnan mo naman si Kim Chiu, sa kanyang background at character, hindi mo makitaan ng mayroon siya nakatalo,” he added.
Monsalve said the police have yet to recover footage at the actual location of the shooting incident.
Last Wednesday, Chiu, her assistant Mayrin Nasara, and her driver Wilfredo Taberna were on their way to a taping when armed attackers riding tandem on a motorbike fired shots at their van at corner C.P. Garcia and Katipunan Avenues.
No one was reported hurt in the shooting incident.
Police said at least eight shell casings were recovered at the crime scene and seven bullet holes were found mostly on the right side of the van.
The police also created a special investigation task group due to Wednesday’s shooting incident in Quezon City, the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) said on Thursday.
The QCPD has created the task group in order to establish the motive behind the incident and to identify and arrest the perpetrators, police said in a statement.
QCPD director Brig. Gen. Ronnie Montejo said the 10-member SITG “Chiu” will be led by Col. Enrico Vargas, QCPD deputy director for operations.
Montejo said all possible angles of the incident are being looked into.
Police earlier said there might be a case of mistaken identity.
Chiu, her personal assistant, and her driver were unhurt after two unidentified men on board a motorcycle shot her van along Katipunan Avenue in Barangay UP Campus around 6 a.m. Wednesday.
The unidentiied suspects fled towards Commonwealth Avenue.
Chiu was on her way to the taping of her ABS-CBN TV series “Love Thy Woman” when the shooting happened.
Chiu said she was puzzled over the motive for the strafing.
Investigators have started gathering testimonies from witnesses and CCTV footage to help identify the suspects.
Police have encouraged motorists with dash cameras, who may have recorded the strafing, to come forward to help in the investigation.
The “Love Thy Woman” actress aired her reaction to what happened via her Instagram post.
In a lengthy post, Chiu expressed what she feels about what happened.
She also revealed that she has been receiving various calls and text messages who got worried about her.
“A lot of you have been texting and calling. can’t answer right now. Thank you for checking on me. Means a lot. Yes I am safe po. I’m ok and my P.A. And my driver as well. Papa Jesus protected us,” she wrote.
“I dont have an idea what really happened, mistaken identity? I guess?? Napag tripan?.. This is a bad joke. 6am on my way to taping, I was asleep inside my car then I heard several gun shots, 8 to be exact. I was shocked and ask my driver what happened, then I saw this bullet on the windshield where my head was laying “buti nakahiga ako.” Pano kung tinuloy ko magbasa ng script?… I was so scared, I dont know what to feel right now. Wala naman akong kaaway or ka atraso. Why me,” she added.
Moreover, Chiu gave her message to the two suspects. Despite what happened, Chiu is thankful that she and the people she was with at that time are unharmed.
“Kung sino man ang gumawa nito Diyos na ang bahala sa inyo dalawa. Sana tininignan nyo muna ang plate number bago nyo paulanan ng bala yung kotse ko but at the end of the day inisip ko nalang walang nasaktan sa amin. God protected us. Salamat po,” she wrote. /Stacy Ang
