A dark and bloody night has fallen on the town of Nasugbu, Batangas after a brutal shooting that claimed the lives of a father and his six-year-old daughter. The incident, which occurred on December 7, became the center of attention on the program “Raffy Tulfo in Action” after the victims’ families sought help to ensure that the perpetrators do not escape the law.

The victims were identified as Thomas Basit and his youngest daughter Elaine. According to the account of Ma’am Aen and Ma’am Wanita, Thomas’ partner and sister, the family was riding a tricycle when they were suddenly shot. In the midst of the gunfire, Thomas died instantly while little Elaine also did not survive the bullets. Thomas’ two other children, who witnessed the brutal murder of their father and sister, were injured and are currently recovering in the hospital [03:03].

In a swift action by the Nasugbu police, the main suspect, identified as Mark Angelo de la Vega Jr., 23 years old, was arrested [04:58]. What is painful for the family is that the suspect is a neighbor and the husband of one of their nephews. According to the investigation by Police Lieutenant Colonel Rowel Gabito, Chief of Police of Nasugbu, the motive behind the crime appears to be the result of a serious dispute or quarrel between the suspect and the victim, Thomas [06:06]. There are reports that the suspect did not like the words that Thomas uttered against him, which led to a terrible revenge.

However, the story does not end there. According to the testimony of one of the surviving children, Angelo was not alone when he committed the crime. The suspect was allegedly accompanied by two others who have not yet been identified [10:04]. This was also confirmed by evidence obtained from the crime scene where empty bullet casings from two different types of guns were found, an indication that more than one person fired the weapon [11:05].

Because of this, Senator Raffy Tulfo has intensified his call on the police to conduct a thorough backtracking and investigation to determine the identities of Angelo’s two other accomplices. The senator emphasized that one should not be complacent just because one is already behind bars; all those involved in the destruction of the Basit family must be held accountable.

Amidst the grief, the interview became even more emotional because Ma’am Aen, the children’s mother, is an Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) who had just returned to the Philippines to bury her husband and child [09:21]. According to her, there had been previous threats on Thomas’ life sent via chat, but they never thought it would actually lead to this kind of violence [09:50].

In response, the Nasugbu police promised that they will not stop until the case is completely resolved. Angelo has been charged with two counts of murder, frustrated murder, and attempted murder [05:19]. Meanwhile, Senator Tulfo assured that he will send help and reporters to Batangas to monitor the progress of the case and provide additional support to the bereaved family. The cry of the Basit family and the entire town of Nasugbu: Justice for the father and mother mercilessly murdered in the middle of the road.