SPD offers P200K bounty for assailants of DPWH lawyer, driver

(Photo courtesy of SPD)

THE SOUTHERN Police District (SPD) on Monday announced a PHP200,000 reward for anyone who can give information on the suspects in the shooting of a female lawyer of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and her driver in Pasay City early last month.

"This is the reward for any information that could lead to the identification of this suspect, we have PHP200,000, may mga tumulong sa ating na stakeholders para mag come up sa reward na ito. Ito yung nangyari nung June 5 (there are stakeholders who helped us come up with this reward),” Kraft told reporters in a press conference held at Camp Crame, Quezon City.

Wounded in the June 5 incident were lawyer Maria Rochelle Melliza Melendez, 53, lawyer of DPWH-National Capital Region and her 42-year-old driver Deo Decena.

Based on Decena's account, the shooting incident transpired near Melendez's residence along Fortuna Street in Barangay 20 at around 8:10 a.m.

The driver said they were traversing the stretch of Fortuna Street towards F.B. Harrison Street when two unidentified male suspects drove alongside their vehicle, pulled out their handguns and fired toward their vehicle.

The SPD has already released the photo of one of the two suspects in the ambush who was seen in a closed circuit television (CCTV) footage before the crime occurred.

Those who have information on the crime can contact the SPD through 0998-598-7920 and 0998-598-7922.

Melendez remains unconscious as she sustained gunshots in the head and arms. Her driver sustained a gunshot wound on the side of his torso.

Kraft said the motive of the incident could be related to the victim’s work.

Pasay City police chief Col. Froilan Uy immediately ordered the conduct of dragnet operations and assembled tracker teams to backtrack the location, entrance and exit points of the motorcycle-riding suspects.

He added that backtracking the closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras of Pasay City barangays is ongoing.

The Pasay City police has been providing round-the-clock security to Melendez while she remains at the hospital. (Christopher Lloyd Caliwan)