A nephew of a policeman in Kawit, Cavite and an alias “Wildo” allegedly provided the gun and ammunition that former councilman Ronald Bae used in killing eight persons in his neighborhood on January 4, according to Bae’s former houseboy and now principal suspect in the case, John Paul Lopez.

In an exclusive interview with The Manila Times, Lopez maintained that he had nothing to do with the crime and that he, like the others whom Bae had killed and injured, was a victim.

Lopez disclosed that Bae got the .45-caliber 1911 pistol from Wildo before going on a rampage. Meanwhile, Bae summoned Mark Lontoc, alias Mike, to bring him extra ammunitions moments before the shooting.

Wildo and Lontoc, reportedly a nephew of a certain Nekoy Lontoc of the Kawit police, have never been invited for questioning, or to shed light on the circumstances surrounding the massacre.

Interestingly, the policeman was a frequent visitor of Bae, the two being very close friends and kumpares. A report by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group said that it was Lontoc who shot and killed Bae.

“Bossing [Bae] went to Wildo’s house to get his gun. I followed him. Inside the house, he checked the gun’s magazine for bullets and then went out heading to the main street. He aimed the gun upwards and pulled the trigger and went back inside the compound before he sat at his usual tambayan,” Lopez told The Times at his cell.

He recalled that a day prior to the shooting, Bae was deeply anxious and troubled and challenged everyone who crossed his path.

“I was so nervous. But I was asked to follow him by his sister because they knew something was wrong. On January 3, at 5 p.m., he went out of the house heading to Salugao Compound. I followed him until he reached the far end of the compound. He went to the store and ordered beer. After finishing one bottle, he went back to the house, called his friends and had drinks with them. I was outside the whole time and just ran errands for them,” Lopez narrated.

He said that the drinking spree ended at 2 a.m. and that he was only able to rest at 3 a.m.

“Then Mike [Lontoc] came over and asked for my boss. I told him he was asleep already but Mike still entered the house and I believed they were having a pot session,” said Lopez.

Sleepless
Unable to sleep due to drugs, Bae continued to show signs of distress until the next day. Lopez said that the pistol was with Bae he had taken it from Wildo.

“He was texting a lot on his cellphone. Then I saw him dialing someone and then I heard him say ‘Magdala ka ng bala. Madami!.’ Then he sat down again, looked at me and told me to buy him cigarettes,” Lopez added.

On his way to the store outside the compound, Lopez claimed that he saw Lontoc inside a tricycle going to Bae’s direction, presumably to bring the extra bullets he had asked for.

“When I got back for his cigarettes, I saw him walking away from Berto’s [Caimol] house where he had shot the three kids already. Then he grabbed me with his left hand and took me by the collar with his gun pressed tightly on my nape. Then he saw a man riding a motorcycle and Bossing aimed and shot the helmet hanging by the handle. The man ran and left his vehicle behind,” Lopez added.

Under constant threat
“Pag ikaw tumakbo, Babarilin kita kahit san ka pumunta babarilin kita! [If you run I’ll shoot you. Anywhere you go, I’ll shoot you],” Bae shouted to Lopez repeatedly.

Lopez said that he was made to hold the magazine of bullets because there were more bullets inside Bae’s pockets.

“Basta sumunod ka na lang! [Just follow me],” the killer allegedly told him.

Second gun
Residents in Brgy. Tabon 1 believed that Lopez, who had been working at the Bae’s household since 1999, was just a “fall guy” by the local police who have been covering up for those who should be blamed for the carnage, including Bae’s constant drinking companion, Lontoc.

According to Lopez, Bae fired a gun near his left ear before they went to Silang, Cavite the day before. He said that Bae was so jealous of him that he intended to kill him. The bullet shattered the back windshield of Bae’s car.

Bae went back to Kawit and he was surprised to find out that the first gun that he carried was missing. That was the time when he thought of getting his other gun from Wildo.

After the shooting, he said Bae dragged him back to their house where four policemen were already positioned. One of the policemen was Lontoc.

“He [Bae] raised his hands and that was the time I was able to run away. I heard gunshots but did not look behind for fear that it was I who was being shot at. I was really afraid,” Lopez said.

Not in hiding
Lopez also denied that he went in hiding after the carnage. He said he ran to Llave Compound in Tabon 3 and stayed at the Cherry’s Pavilion until 6 p.m. The Pavillion was just a stone’s throw away from the Baes’ house.

At about 6:30 p.m., Lopez said his phone rang and Elena’s (Bae’s wife) sister, Yeye, was on the other line. He was told to come with them to the police for his own protection for reward money would be given for his arrest.

“She told me that I would be given P30,000 from the reward money,” Lopez claimed.

At the police station, he was charged with seven counts of murder, 11 counts of frustrated murder, three counts of attempted murder, illegal possession of firearms and violation of the anti-drug law. No bail was recommended.

Lopez remains under the custody of the CIDG in Cavite.