The Presidential Security Group is standing fast on its belief that the death of Major Harim Gonzaga, a PSG member assigned as presidential escort, so far bears no indication of foul play, even as the investigation itself is being handled by the Manila Police District Scene of the Crime Office (SOCO).
The PSG Spokesman, Lt. Col. Michael Aquino, told Bloomberg TV Philippines in a live telephone interview Tuesday afternoon that the Manila Police District’s SOCO unit has been designated to look into the incident, “so it will take sometime, probably a day or two, before we could come up with official findings. As of now we don’t have much … but we are ruling out foul play in this matter so probably it is an accident. The troops are now in training. They are busy preparing for action status.”
For his part, Brig. Gen. Lope Dagoy had earlier told journalists: “We leave it up to SOCO.”
Lt. Col. Aquino said during the interview: “They [SOCO] are the experts so they should know what they are doing.”
He mentioned that, during the initial investigation by SOCO, “probably they saw something.”
Maj. Gonzaga was found dead around 9:20 a.m. from a gunshot to the chest inside the quarters they shared. The gun used was his own .45 caliber pistol.
Aquino disclosed during the interview that the distance of Gonzaga’s quarters from the Presidential residence “is more or less 500 meters. I mean it is located near firing range, the President did not notice the incident that happened this morning.”
It was Sheila, the wife of Gonzaga who was herself a PSG member assigned as close-in presidential escort, who found him dead after returning from a round of duty.
“As of now we don’t have any message yet from the President, but our commander has already informed Secretary Bong Go. But we wait for the official statement of the president,” said Aquino. “I think it was Sec. Bong Go who relayed the news to the president directly.”
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