Philippine politician Reynaldo Dagsa catches 'killer' on camera

Manila (Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN) - He could have drawn his pistol and shot it at his assassins, but he took a bullet instead than put his family at risk.

Even in the face of death, slain Filipino councilman Reynaldo Dagsa had the safety of his family foremost in his mind.

The 38-year-old father had his .45-caliber pistol when he saw his assassin through the lens of his camera. He could have pulled it out, but because of fear for the safety of his family, he opted not to use it, his wife Arlene said.

"He must have thought the assassin would hurt his family or his relatives, or anybody in the area so he did not do anything that would compromise our safety. He took the bullet instead," Arlene said in an interview with Philippine Daily Inquirer.

Dagsa was taking a picture of his wife, daughter and his mother-in-law Emelia in front of his house just after the New Year's Eve revelry when a suspected car thief he had sent to jail appeared from behind his parked car and fired at him, police said.

Gunman at large

The gunman, identified as Arnel Buenaflor, remained at large, but his two lookouts, Michael Gonzales Rollon and Rommel Oliva, are now in the custody of the Caloocan City Police, according to Senior Superintendent Jude Santos.

Police erroneously reported earlier that Buenaflor had been arrested. Another man tagged as a suspect, Francis Bumjal, was not involved in the case, police said.

Arlene told the Inquirer that before the fatal shot, Dagsa had taken a picture of his three assailants in front of the car.

The family had moved to the car's driver side for another pose, which apparently gave the assassin unobstructed view of his target, Arlene recalled.

They didn't even notice anyone approaching from behind, she said. Dagsa's daughter showed the Inquirer the Canon 350D camera, which had some dents from the fall as well as traces of Dagsa's blood.

The uncanny photograph, which the Inquirer first carried on its front page on Tuesday, spread rapidly in cyberspace, drawing inquiries from news organisations here and abroad.

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation in Toronto and Sky News London asked the Inquirer for permission to use the photograph.

Wire service agencies also picked up the Inquirer story, while Philippine television networks descended on the Dagsa house the morning after the Inquirer came out with its story.

In contrast to the foreign media, local TV stations neither asked permission nor credited the Inquirer.

No nonsense peacekeeper

The photograph Dagsa took moments before he was fatally shot showed he was only a few metres away from the gunman.

It could have been an easy shot for Dagsa had he drawn his own gun and fired at his attacker. He had been trained in the Philippine Army Reserve Command, was a member of the Barangay Peacekeeping Action Team and the Citizens Crime Watch of the Philippine National Police.

"We responded to scuffles and rumbles, and confronted the most dangerous people in our area," said Henry Decilio, a close friend of the victim and himself a barangay peace volunteer. "He (Dagsa) was a no-nonsense peacekeeper but very compassionate to those who wanted to change their ways."

For Dagsa's 10-year-old daughter Reynalyn, the fact that her father took a long time to take the picture was also a sign that he was aware there was something wrong.

She knew her father to be a good photographer.

Bullet pierced heart

In college, Dagsa was already taking pictures during important occasions for friends and family. Until he became a barangay official, he had earned extra money by being a photographer during weddings and baptisms, among others, of friends and neighbours.

"When I heard a shot, I thought it was just a firecracker, but when I saw my father slump on the floor, I knew he was hit by something else. It was a gunshot that hit the forearm of my dad and pierced through his heart. I saw him crumbling to the pavement while clutching his chest," Reynalyn said in between sobs.

The three suspects ran in different directions as Dagsa fell before his shocked family.

Arlene recounted how her daughter reached out for her father, who was bleeding profusely from his wounds. Arlene herself was so stunned she could barely move. "I didn't know what to do," Arlene, a private nurse, said. "I was speechless for a while, then I started crying."

'Lead Me Lord'

The family rushed Dagsa to Martinez Hospital, where hospital personnel tried to revive him, but to no avail.

At 12:40 am, he was pronounced dead.

"I will miss my papa. Who will take us and fetch us from school? Who will sing to me 'Lead me Lord.' That's my father's favourite," Reynalyn cried, as she wiped the tears streaming down her face.

The 10-year-old piano student said she had been learning how to play the song for her father.

"Lead me Lord, lead me by the hand, and make me face the rising sun. Comfort me through all the pain that life may bring," she sang in tears.