Marciano Contatoe

Background

Sgt. Marciano Contaoe served in the elite unit that guarded President Corazon C. Aquino’s security, and he was assigned to Aquino’s Presidential Security Group. The Presidential Security Group was described as a select and independent unit of the armed forces that guarded the presidential palace and escorted the president on out-of-town visits, and its members were said to have received special training from British and Israeli instructors. Contaoe was also described as being part of Aquino’s security force, and Aquino’s personal bodyguards were drawn from its ranks.

The offence

Contaoe began a deadly spree while drinking with friends in suburban Taguig. During an argument that broke out while he was drinking with neighbors, most of them soldiers, Contaoe drew a .45-caliber pistol and shot people who were drinking with him. He then returned to his home, fetched an M-16 rifle, and went to a neighbor’s house, where he opened fire and killed additional people, including children. As he left the house, Contaoe killed a man he met on the street, bringing the death toll from the rampage to 12. In total, the convictions later described killing nine persons and wounding three others in a drunken shooting spree.

Investigation

Police said they were house-to-house searching for Contaoe after the shooting rampage. Police investigator Ricardo Manalo described Contaoe as starting the deadly spree while drinking and unexpectedly drawing his .45-caliber pistol. Police Cpl. Lucas Esteban characterized Contaoe’s condition as drunken and said he started shooting at everybody, and that he probably did not realize what he was doing when he went to his neighbors’ house and gunned them down. Manalo said:

"We have a dangerous person out there," Manalo said.
Esteban said: "He was blind drunk and started shooting at everybody. He probably did not realize what he was doing when he went to his neighbors' house and gunned them down."

Arrest

Contaoe was arrested three days later.

Trial

A military prosecutor said that Contaoe was convicted of killing nine people and wounding three others in a drunken shooting spree.

Sentencing

Contaoe was sentenced to 300 years in prison. Military prosecutor Maj. Victorio Pabanguil said:

"Sgt. Marciano Contaoe received 30 years in prison for each of the nine murder counts and a 30-year jail term for the three injuries," said military prosecutor Maj. Victorio Pabanguil.

Timeline

• May 21, 1988 — Contaoe drank with neighbors, most of them soldiers, and an argument broke out; Contaoe shot five of his companions with a .45-caliber pistol, killing them and wounding another.
• May 21, 1988 — After the shooting, Contaoe fetched an M-16 rifle, barged into a neighbor’s house, killed four more persons, and wounded two children.
• May 23, 1988 — Police described a weekend search in Taguig for Sgt. Marciano Contaoe after the rampage.
• March 22, 1989 — Contaoe was convicted of killing nine people and wounding three others in a drunken shooting spree, and was sentenced to 300 years in prison.
• March 20, 1989 — Contaoe was sentenced to 300 years in prison.

Other details

Contaoe was described as being sought after the shooting rampage late Saturday in Tagig. Authorities said the president did not immediately comment on the incident and made no mention of it on her weekly radio call-in show, focusing instead on relations between the United States and the Philippines. Police said the sergeant and two fellow marines he shot were attached to the presidential guard but were not regular members.