Domogan target of assassination plot?

By Dexter A. See

BAGUIO CITY –An “assassination plot” against Rep. Mauricio G. Domogan and a top government official here was uncovered last week when the supposed hired killer from Abra allegedly confessed to Domogan that he was being hired to kill him and a government official.

Based on his confession, a 45-year old hitman from Abra was reportedly offered by the masterminds P800,000 as advance payment for the implementation of the assassination plot against the lawmaker and the top government official which he refused to identify for the moment.

But he said he could not in conscience accept the assassination assignment.

A reliable source, who requested anonymity for security reasons considering that he was aware of the pertinent events to the assassination plot, claimed the supposed hitman, upon learning that the lawmaker was one of the targets, hesitated in accepting the offer considering that he knows the local official as a responsible official.

The source claimed the hired killer would be willing to cooperate with police and military investigators if the same will be subjected to an investigation in order to avert whatever injuries the possible incident could cause to both parties.

What prompted him to divulge the assassination plot was when he learned that if he will refuse the offer, the supposed masterminds would resort to hiring notorious killers from Masbate who are ex-military men to perpetrate the crime.

Although police officials have denied the existence of the said assassination plot, the congressman and the top government official have already been provided police security details to make sure that no untoward incident will happen in the future, especially with the upcoming 45-day campaign period for the May polls.

During the May 2007 elections, Domogan had also reportedly been receiving death threats from still unidentified individuals while he was seeking reelection for his third term as the representative of the lone district of Baguio City which prompted the local police to provide him security.

In the 2001 elections, when he first attempted to seek election as the city’s congressman, he was also subjected to death threats by the supporters of his rivals to catch him off guard in the campaign trail.

Baguio City has been known to be a peaceful and orderly local government over the past several decades because politicians do not employ bodyguards to advance their own personal and political interests unlike what has been happening in other conflict-stricken areas in the country such as Abra, Masbate, Maguindanao, Cavite and other parts of Mindanao which are dominated by warlords.