A House of Representatives committee official was shot dead during his daughter’s birthday party in Barangay Commonwealth, Quezon City, on Father’s Day, June 15.
The House Speaker’s office identified the victim as Director Mauricio “Morrie” Pulhin, 63, chief of technical staff of the Committee on Ways and Means.
According to the Quezon City Police District (QCPD), two unidentified suspects entered the venue at around 2:55 p.m. on Sunday and shot Pulhin.
As they fled on a motorcycle, the gunmen fired at a subdivision security guard, hitting him in the head.
The security guard was rushed to FEU-NRMF Hospital.
Police officers from Batasan Police Station 6 and members of the Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) responded to the incident.
OUTRAGE
House Speaker Martin Romualdez condemned the attack on Monday, June 16, expressing deep sorrow and outrage.
“I am deeply saddened and outraged by the tragic death of Director [Pulhin]…We condemn this brutal act of violence in the strongest possible terms, Romualdez said in a statement.
The leader of the 306-member House said the incident has left Pulhin’s family and the community in shock and grief.
“Director Pulhin was a long-serving and dedicated public servant. His professionalism, integrity, and quiet commitment to his work earned him the respect of his peers and superiors alike,” he said.
Romualdez noted that while the motive behind the heinous crime remains unclear, he called on the Philippine National Police (PNP), the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), and all law enforcement agencies to conduct a thorough, impartial, and swift investigation.
“All angles must be pursued—including, but not limited to, his professional affiliations—so that the truth may come out and justice may be served,” he said.
“This crime must not go unanswered. Justice must prevail,” he further said.
Romualdez also told Pulhin’s family: “We offer our deepest condolences. We stand with you in this time of unimaginable pain. And we will do everything in our power to ensure that those responsible—whether gunmen or masterminds—are identified and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
“To the men and women of the House Secretariat and our broader congressional family: we share in your grief and your anger. Let us channel that into vigilance, unity, and an unwavering demand for justice—not only for Director Pulhin, but for every Filipino who falls victim to senseless violence,” he added. (Allysa Nievera, Ellson Quismorio)
