Misamis Occidental 2nd District Representative Henry Oaminal Sr. on Tuesday said that he was the true target in the shooting incident in the province on December 22 — not the late Lopez Jaena town Mayor Michael Gutierrez.
"Actually, yung initial report ng SOCO (Scene of the Crime Operatives) when they re-enacted the crime scene, talagang ang target ay ako," Oaminal told DZRH in an interview.
(Actually, from the initial report of SOCO when they re-enacted the crime scene, the real target was me.)
"Kung hindi lang tumama sa aluminum frame ng glass, so nag-deflect 'yung travel ng bullet kaya medyo naiwas konti and then ito na - ang tinamaan si Mayor Michael," he continued.
(If the bullet did not hit aluminum frame of the glass, the travel of the bullet deflected that’s why it avoided me and then hit Mayor Michael.)
Gutierrez, who is running for vice governor in the province, was hit in the left temple, according to a report from the Tangub City police station.
He was rushed to the Misamis University Medical Center in Ozamiz City before later getting transported to Manila.
On Monday evening, his daughter Andrea Gutierrez announced on social media that the Lopez Jaena mayor passed away.
"He was a light in this world, and now we need to continue shining his light by carrying it within us in our own lives," Gutierrez posted on Facebook.
Oaminal, meanwhile, got away from the scene with two wounds on his right hand and on his head, but mostly from the debris of the glass in the aftermath of the incident.
But according to Oaminal, it seemed like he was the target of the assassination attempt.
"Because 'yun talaga ang parang focus nung sniper - 'yung tama, ‘yung sa akin - kung na ano 'yun sa leeg ko tatama sana," he explained.
(Because it seemed like that was the focus of the sniper – the shot was for me – if it did, it would’ve hit my neck.)
According to Oaminal, he has been receiving death threats since 2017 after the government successfully dismantled drug organizations in Ozamiz City as part of the President Rodrigo Duterte's war against illegal drugs.
"I was informed there was a P10 million patong sa ulo ko," the solon said.
(I was informed there was a P10 million bounty on my head.)
There was also an incident where a gunman waited for him at the airport for five days carrying firearms, but this was successfully thwarted when authorities recovered the gun.
He believes that the assassination attempt is a move from syndicates to return to power in the province after they were driven away by law enforcement authorities.
"Gusto nilang bumalik dito at ang strategy nila para makabalik is to have an ally yung mga kalaban natin 'yun ang mga sinusuportahan nila kasi alam nila na tayo ay very strong sa pakikipaglaban sa illegal drugs and criminality," he explained.
(They want to come back here and their strategy is to have an ally, our enemy, that they would support because they know that we are very strong in our fight against illegal drugs and criminality.)
Oaminal is running for governor in the province for the 2022 elections, while the late Gutierrez is seeking the vice governor position.
