PNP chief orders deployment of RMG suspects identified in slay of councilor bet

By Mydz Supnad

DINGRAS, Ilocos Norte – Suspects in Monday’s ambush killing here of a female barangay chairman and wounding of eight others have been identified, police said.

This, as Philippine National Police director general Jesus Versoza ordered the deployment Wednesday of additional forces from the Regional Mobile Group to maintain peace and order in this volatile town, prevent vengeance and escalation of violence.

Versoza also directed Chief Supt. Constante D. Azares, Jr., newly-designated PNP director for Region 1, to create a special Task Force to arrest the suspected gunmen and their cohorts who staged the ambush in barangay San Esteban, Dingras town.

Azares said that they created Special Investigation Task Group “Diego” to investigate the shooting incident that led to the death of barangay chairwoman Jo-en Diego and the wounding of seven others in Barangay San Esteban in the town of Dingras, Ilocos Norte before dawn Monday.

Sr. Supt. Benjamin Lusad, Ilocos Norte provincial director, told this correspondent that they are now zeroing in on the suspected gunmen after they were able to gather leads from witnesses.

Lusad, however, did not yet name the suspects until they are arrested.

A report reaching the Police Regional Office 1 headquarters in San Fernando, La Union disclosed that the victims were part of a four-vehicle convoy of Ilocos Norte Sanguniang Panlalawigan Member Robert Castro and barangay chairman Joeffrey Ponce Saguid which was on the way from a Christmas program in Barangay Bagut where Castro was the guest of honor when they were blocked and fired upon by unidentified suspects.

The wounded were identified as SPO1 Cesar Sabado and Joel Rosqueta, security escort and driver of Castro, respectively; Sangguniang Bayan Member Jose Mari Genaro Albano; PO1 Joel Natividad; a certain Gaudencio Teodoro; and one Fernando Sebastian.

The victims were rushed to the Dingras District Hospital where Diego was declared dead on arrival by the attending physician. The other injured victims were later transferred to Don Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Center in Batac City.

The suspects fled after the incident and are now the subject of manhunt operations by the police. The Ilocos Norte Provincial SOCO is still in the process of investigating the crime scene.

A police report said the four-vehicle convoy of the victims, who had attended a Christmas program in Barangay San Esteban, was blocked by four ski mask-wearing men who shot the cars with bullets.

The wounded were rushed to the Dingras District Hospital.

Ilocos Norte Rep. Roquito Ablan told newsmen the incident was politically motivated and asked investigators to dig deeper into the case. “This is politically motivated. Probably the suspects are private armies. The board member (Castro) has no enemies. I would be glad if the area (Dingras) would be placed under the Comelec’s areas of immediate concern.”

He said residents of Dingras have been urging the national government to look into the alleged private armies of local politicians.