Ecija mayor charged for murders

GAPAN CITY, Nueva Ecija -- The Office of the Ombudsman on Thursday ordered the filing of murder charges before the Sandiganbayan against Gapan Mayor Ernesto Natividad and 23 others for the deaths of two brothers in 2006.

Ombudsman Ma. Merceditas Gutierrez recommended the filing of the case against Natividad and his cohorts for the death of Ericson Pascual and his brother Ebertson at the Gapan Coliseum and Cockpit Arena in Gapan City in 2006.

Apart from Natividad, also charged were Dennis Matias, Lorenzo Rueda, Jr., Crisanto Mateo, Dalia Cruz, Romeo Natividad, Ricardo Peralta, Randy Puno, Jovert Dumlao, and 15 others.

The Ombudsman wanted the respondents charged with murder with the qualifying circumstance of taking advantage of superior strength, with the aid of armed men, employing means to ensure or afford impunity, with evident premeditation, use of motor vehicle and in consideration of a price, reward or promise.

During investigation, Gutierrez said that witness Virgilio Maglapo, one of the men hired by Natividad to set up the victims, revealed “it was Mayor Natividad who masterminded the killing because of politics.”

Maglapo, who used to work at the cockpit arena owned by the Pascual family, said on March 10, 2006, he was contacted by Peralta, his wife’s cousin, and relayed to him the plan and his role in setting up the brothers.

He said he was even brought to the house of the mayor where he was given P20,000 as down payment for the agreed price of P100,000.

Maglapo recalled on March 20, 2006, he was tasked to open the big gate of the cockpit to allow the assailants to enter the premises without passing through security.

After letting them in, Maglapo claimed the assailants started to make their assault, during which, they also shot the witness in the head.

After his release from the hospital, Maglapo hid and stayed with his brother in Bulacan for fear for his life.
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Later, he went straight to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in Camp Crame.