Ateneo teacher's shooting: Isolated case in peaceful Marikina village
ALL OUT OPERATION. Acting Marikina Police Chief Lorenzo Holanday says that they have launching a 24/7 investigation on the 'surprising case' of Emmanuel Pavia. Photo by Rambo Talabong/ Rappler
MANILA, Philippines — The Marikina City Police (MCP) recorded its first homicide in two years in Barangay Barangka after Ateneo High School teacher Emmanuel Jose "Em-J" Pavia was gunned down on Monday night, July 18, for reasons still unknown.
MCP and Barangka police officers said the case was "strange," as Barangay Barangka is known to be one of the most peaceful villages in Marikina.
SPO2 Aladin Alingas, investigator of Pavia’s case, dubbed the incident a "first of its kind." He told Rappler in a phone interview that "it has been a long time since something like this happened in Marikina."
According to police records, there has not been any homicide or murder in Barangka since December 2014.
The most common crime in the barangay is theft. Police data recorder Farah Rosales attributed the incidents to the Riverbanks Center, the mall and office complex in the barangay.
Superintendent Virgilio Viloria, Assistant Chief-of-Police for Administration, said the area has been "basically peaceful" and known for "not being a problem."
"Isolated case ito kasi first time ito na nangyari na may ganyang binaril. Tahimik siya (the barangay), ang problema lang naman doon sa Barangka ay traffic. Biglaan talaga 'yung pagbaril," said Senior Superintendent Lorenzo Holanday Jr, officer-in-charge of the Marikina City Police.
(This is an isolated case because this is the first time that this happened. The barangay is peaceful. The only problem in Barangka is traffic. The shooting was surprising.)
Unlikely crime
TOO SOON. The Ateneo community mourns the death of Emmanuel Jose Pavia. Photo from the Ateneo de Manila Junior High School
“Why aren’t there any incidents? First, the people there have jobs,” Viloria said. He explained that with this, people have things to do and are unlikely to commit crimes among themselves.
However, with this demographic, the barangay is open for “people from other places to go there to steal.”
Explaning why the shooting incident was "surprising," he said "people are close there and they know each other." The people in the area “have been living there for decades.”
He said that the area is known as an "Ateneo housing area," where professors, teachers, and personnel of the university opt to live as the university is only a walk away.
The police dispatched a team of investigators to work on the case "24/7." The immediate family members have requested for "space and privacy," rejecting police interviews. (READ: Ateneo community mourns death of HS teacher)
Police are currently talking to members of the Ateno de Manila community to spot for leads on the case. – Rappler.com
Rambo Talabong is a Rappler intern and a student of the Ateneo de Manila University.
