ANGELES CITY – A high-profile British national who owns bars in this city’s red light district escaped death after unidentified suspects sprayed bullets on the vehicle he was driving on his way home in Barangay Malabanias here past midnight Saturday.
In a police report obtained Sunday, Angeles City Police Office (ACPO) Station 4 Commander Luisito Tan said Richard Douglas Agnew, owner of Golden Nile club in Fields Avenue, Barangay Balibago, and his girlfiend identified as Elsie N. Magayunes were cruising Westerways St., Hensonville, Malabanias when the gunmen shot at their red Ford Expedition with plate number RAE-106.
Agnew, who is a friend of Pampanga 1st District Rep. Carmelo “Tarzan” Lazatin, reportedly accelerated his vehicle to avoid the attackers and drove fast to Station 4.
Agnew and his 21-year-old Filipina girlfriend were not hit in the volley of bullets but the driver suffered superficial wounds, the report said.
In the same report, it was stated that Agnew’s Expedition suffered heavy damage at the driver’s window, the front passenger’s window and the windshield from the bullets.
The police team headed by Senior Insp. Dickson Tolentino went to the scene of the crime and found at least 17 empty shells of M-16 rifles and 10 empty shells of 9mm pistol.
Police said they were informed by witnesses that a white Toyota Innova with the letter “J” and number “9” on its license plate was noticed rushing off the area after the shooting happened.
TARZAN HITS BACK
In a statement, Lazatin condemned the shooting of the Northern Ireland native and businessman and asked the police to get to the bottom of the ambush try.
“Nakakatakot na ang nangyari.Una kinikikilan ang mga negosyante. Hina-harass at isinasara ang mga negosyo nila. Ngayon naman tinatangka ng patayin?
(The incident is frightening. First, there were extortions on the businessmen. They were harassed and their businesses were closed. Now the are attempts to kill them),” said Lazatin.
The congressman said Agnew’s bar reportedly suffered repeated closures from local authorities for unclear violations.
“This shooting incident will definitely cripple the businesses and tourism in Angeles City,” said Lazatin. He also urged the police to look into “possible angle on politics.”
MAYOR SEES INFIGTHING
In phone Interview Sunday night, Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan said that he had asked for a deep investigation on reported “infighting between Caucasian businessmen trying to outdo and dupe each other.”
He added that he had also received reports that “some Koreans and white men are acting as syndicates who illegally intervene when foreigners want to invest in Angeles.”
“I will request the Bureau of Immigration and the National Bureau of Investigation to investigate alleged foreign mafias with local syndicate connections preying on innocent and would be hapless and helpless foreign investors,” said the mayor.
Pamintuan vehemently denied the accusations of his political ally-turned-rival Lazatin that there were extortion, harassment and violence done to traders.
“It has all the signs and shades of politics. There is no kotong (extortion) done on traders in our city,” said Pamintuan, who is set to face Lazatin in the 2013 mayoralty race.
“In fact, Lazatin had been telling people before that I don’t get and even return bribes from investors,” he added.
Pamintuan said Agnew and his lawyer identified as a certain Atty. Lauder came to his office a couple of months ago to request the mayor to open his club earlier closed due to local fire stations violations.
“After they (Agnew and lawyer) said the club already complied with the requirement, I asked my staff to open the bar,” said Pamintuan.
City police Director Sr. Supt. Rodolfo Recomono said he had detailed security men for Agnew after the incident.
Recomono disclosed that he asked for an audience with Agnew on Sunday “so that he can tell me things I may not know that we can use in our investigation.” He added that Agnew failed to arrive at a set meeting.
“It could likely be business-related or personal grudge. But we have to established the real motive,” said Recomono.
It could be recalled that in September last year, an associate of Agnew and fellow retired Royal Ulster Constable and his Filipina live-in partner were killed inside the house they shared with Agnew in Barangay Amsic here.
David Balmer, 54, and Elma de Guia, 26, were found dead in their bedroom in the house in Josefaville 2 Subdivision. They had bullet wounds in the head and different parts of their bodies.
Agnew was among the person questioned by policemen but he was not charged related to the twin murder.
