By Nancy C. Carvajal, Ronnel Domingo, TJ Burgonio
Philippine Daily Inquirer
In a daring daylight attack, gunmen opened fire yesterday on the Quezon City house of Social Security System President Romulo Neri (a Bol-anon), a controversial figure of late for his role in the NBN-ZTE scandal that has entangled President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
Neri told reporters he was in the shower when two vans pulled up outside his residence with a group of armed men in military uniforms who shot at his house and parked vehicle.
The gate and walls of Neri’s two-story house and his car were riddled with bullet holes but Neri and members of his household were unhurt.
Chief Inspector Jesus Bacani, head of the city’s Scene of Crimes Operatives said more than a hundred shells of M-16 rifles was recovered from the street, at the garage and on the roof.
He said the bullet hole count was close to 150. At least 50 bullet holes were found on Neri’s van. All came from M-16 rifles, Bacani said.
Chief Superintendent Elmo San Diego, head of the Quezon City Police District, said the attack occurred at about 9 a.m.
It was carried out very quickly and with precision, lasting for no more than 10 minutes, witnesses said.
A “shaken†Neri reported for work at the SSS but agreed to be interviewed while having lunch.
He said he could not imagine why he would be attacked. He said he had even earlier reduced his security staff because “I did not think there was any threat against me.â€
“I have no enemies. I don’t know of anyone being angry with me,†he said.
The President condemned “in the strongest possible terms†the attack on Neri, said Press Secretary Cerge Remonde.
She also ordered the Philippine National Police to secure Neri and set up a task force to investigate the incident.
In eye of scandalLast year, Neri was caught in the middle of the NBN-ZTE scandal in which
the President’s husband and other high officials were accused of allegedly getting kickbacks from a Chinese company, ZTE Corp., in exchange for a contract to set up a national broadband network.
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