Gordon told, Aytona accosted on her way to Senate hearing

Independent Senator Richard J. Gordon today received information that Marites Aytona, an alleged runner of former undersecretary Jocelyn Bolante, was reportedly accosted by a motorcycle-riding armed man on her way to attend the Senate blue ribbon committee investigation.

Gordon, committee chair, said he received information from Marites' brother, Ramon, who personally went to the Senate late Wednesday night to report the alleged incident that prevented his sister from attending the hearing.

"Ms. Aytona's brother went to the Senate as I was about to leave. He was there to submit a police report of the incident," Gordon said.

Based on the police report, the incident occurred at about 11:20 a.m. at Calamba Street in Biak na Bato, Sto. Domingo village in Quezon City.

Marites was allegedly seated at the front seat of their Toyota Avanza, Ramon was at the backseat, while another sibling, Eduardo, was driving when a man riding a motorcycle blocked their path and pointed a gun at Marites.

Ramon said they feared that the man was about to shoot his sister but Eduardo was able to maneuver the car to a safe place and the armed man did not attempt to follow.

They went straight to the La Loma Station of the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) to report the incident, adding they also brought Marites to the Chinese General Hospital for check up.

In the covering letter, Marites begged Gordon, in the spirit of Christmas, not to enforce the arrest order against her and sought another chance to attend the hearing.

Aytona reasoned that the alleged attempt to her life only added to her fear, having recalled that the deaths of Marlene Esperat and Teofilo Mojica, former Department of Agriculture employees, were already reportedly linked to the fertilizer fund scam.