Aguirre affirms Martinez’ ambush

Photo: Vitaliano Aguirre/Facebook.com

Lalaine Martinez, the wife of convicted kidnapper Noel Martinez and cousin of former Senator Jamby Madrigal, was reported to have been ambushed in Makati on Friday.

In a radio interview, Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said that Lalaine told him that she was ambushed. However, he was told later that the police didn’t receive any report regarding the incident. The Department of Justice then released photos to the media on Monday of a bleeding Martinez leaving her vehicle and a bullet hole on the car’s windshield.

Reporters then pointed out some inconsistencies citing that the bullet hole shown in the photo had more cracks that the actual damage on the windshield.

NBI operatives went to the scene and inspected the vehicle retrieving parts from a bullet.

In a statement, Aguirre said, “The ambush is real. I am no liar.”

Martinez refused to be sent to the hospital and decided to “self-medicate” her gunshot wound.

Noel Martinez is one of the high-profile inmates who testified against De Lima, and his wife claimed that there was a P100 million bribe offered to the witnesses to recant their testimonies against De Lima. Lalaine submitted a recording supporting her claim to the NBI.