No formal complaint filed on Infinity strafing

The bullet riddled SUV reportedly driven by Wellington Lim is parked at the basement of the condominium building where he lives. Police have not been able to open the vehicle. CONCILOR DAVE TUMULAK FB POST

THREE days after the vehicle of businessman Wellington Lim was strafed at the parking lot of the Infinity Bar KTV and Music Lounge, which resulted in the death of a security guard and the wounding of three others, none of the victims have sought police assistance.

While investigators were doing their best to identify the perpetrators, Senior Supt. Joel Doria, director of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), said it would be good if the aggrieved parties would help them in the investigation.

“But for now, no one came here to complain,” he said in a press conference on Monday.

Controversial Cebu businessman Peter Lim, on Saturday claimed that his younger brother Wellington was inside the vehicle that was peppered with bullets by still unknown assailants.

Wellington and his companions, who were on board a bullet-proof Ford Expedition, escaped unscathed.

Lim said they intend to ask the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to step in and help in the investigation.

NBI-7 Director Patricio Bernales said they are ready to conduct a parallel investigation, but advised the Lim brothers to file a formal complaint.

“It is our mandate to conduct an investigation. But we just could not come in right away because it might jeopardize the investigation conducted by the Cebu City Police Office,” he told reporters.

“We’re waiting for the formal request from the (Lim) family for us to conduct a parallel investigation. Right now, we’re trying to gather information regarding the incident,” he added.

Doria said they were also waiting for the Lims to issue a formal statement regarding the incident.

“I think it’s inappropriate for the police to be the ones to approach the Lims because in the first place, we do not have evidence that Wellington was inside that ambushed vehicle,” he said.

“If they will invite us, then that’s fine, but we are trying to avoid any special treatment here. If they want to give an official statement to us, then that would be good,” he added.

Doria said investigators were out in the field looking for evidence of the crime.

He also said they already requested the Land Transportation Office (LTO) to give the police information regarding the ambushed vehicle.

Ehdel Pereira, chief of legal services of the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7), said they just could send a subpoena to the Lims to compel them to give a formal statement.

“The power to issue subpoenas was only given to the PNP (Philippine National Police) and the CIDG (Criminal Investigation and Detection Group). It can’t be delegated,” he said.

Wellington was on board his bullet-proof black Ford Expedition SUV that was on its way out of the parking lot of Infinity Bar KTV and Music Lounge — an establishment where he is part owner — when unidentified men on board a white pickup truck shot his vehicle repeatedly past 11 a.m. on Friday.

He and his two companions were unscathed and managed to speed off towards Asia Premiere Residences, a residential condominium at the Cebu I.T. Park in Barangay Lahug, Cebu City, where he and his companions hid.

Security guard Wilson Bucag, 43, who guided Wellington’s car out of the Infinity parking lot, was killed, sustaining multiple gunshot wounds on the body.

Another security guard, George Lambatan, and German tourists — Pauline Basbach, 20; and Manuel Georrings, 24 — were also wounded.

Lambatan sustained gunshot wounds on his face and arm, while Basbach and Georrings — who happened to pass by the area — were wounded on the right thigh and right elbow respectively.

They are recuperating at the Perpetual Succour Hospital in Cebu City.

Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña said he will give financial assistance to the family of the slain security guard. He did not mention any amount.

On speculations that the law enforcers may have something to do with the ambush, Osmeña said he is sure that Cebu City policemen were not part of it.

“It’s not the CCPO (Cebu City Police Office). I’m very confident of that. If its the police or law enforcers, it’s not from Cebu City. There are other groups comprising policemen,” he said. /with reports by Morexette Marie B. Erram