House employee shot dead at birthday party

MANILA, Philippines — An official of the House of Representatives was gunned down during his daughter’s birthday party in Quezon City on Sunday afternoon.

Mauricio Pulhin, 62, chief of technical staff of the House committee on ways and means, was celebrating the birthday of his seven-year-old daughter when he was shot dead at the clubhouse of Don Jose Heights Subdivision in Barangay Commonwealth.

Col. Randy Glenn Silvio, officer-in-charge of the Quezon City Police District (QCPD), formed a special investigation task group to hasten the probe into Pulhin’s murder and identify the perpetrators.

“We extend our condolences to the victim’s family and assure the public that justice will be served,” Silvio said in a statement.

Citing accounts of witnesses, probers said one of the suspects entered the venue at around 2:55 p.m. and fired at Pulhin at close range.

The gunman ran toward his accomplice who was on a motorcycle and they fled the scene.

Security guards of the subdivision secured the main gate and other exits.

The suspects opened fire at the security guards stationed at the main entrance and escaped toward an unknown direction.

There were no casualties among the guards.

Pulhin was rushed to the Far Eastern University Nicolas Reyes Medical Foundation Hospital, but despite efforts by physicians to save him, he was declared dead at around 3:40 p.m.

He succumbed to gunshots to the head, police said.

Investigators recovered two bullet casings at the scene.

Tracker teams from the QCPD and other units of the Philippine National Police (PNP) have launched a manhunt for the suspects.

An investigation is ongoing to determine how the suspects were able to enter the gated community.

Silvio urged people with information about the suspects’ whereabouts to coordinate with the nearest police station or call PNP’s Hotline 911 and Quezon City’s Helpline 122 and 09178403925.

Speaker: Get  Pulhin’s killers

Speaker Martin Romualdez urged the PNP and the National Bureau of Investigation to “leave no stone unturned” in solving the murder of Pulhin.

“While it is too early to determine the motive for the killing, we call on law enforcement agencies to conduct a thorough and swift investigation,” Romualdez said. “All angles must be pursued so the truth may come out and justice maybe served.”

Romualdez condoled with the family of Pulhin, the deputy of Albay Rep. Joey Salceda. -  Delon Porcalla