3 die in northern Luzon poll attacks

By Dexter A. See and Freddie Lazaro

A staunch political supporter of the Marcoses in Ilocos Norte, a mayoral bet’s bodyguard in Pangasinan and a civilian were killed in two politically-related attacks last week, police said.

Police reported Marcos loyalist Andres Peralta was killed in a broad daylight ambush in the mountain village of Macayepyep in Banna, Ilocos Norte afternoon of April 18.

Peralta, a political coordinator of former congresswoman Imee Marcos who is now running for governor in Ilocos Norte, was a resident of Barangay Poblacion, Nueva Era, Ilocos Norte.

Probers said Peralta was driving through Barangay Macyepyep after coming from a cockpit arena at 5 p.m. when unidentified gunmen shot at his owner-type jeep.

He succumbed to multiple bullet wounds in the body and investigators theorized the attack was politically motivated.

Bullet casings for a .45-caliber pistol were found at the scene of the ambush.

Meanwhile, a bodyguard of San Manuel mayoral bet and retired Vice Admiral Virgilio Q. Marcelo was killed in a similar ambush in Barangay Gueset in San Manuel, Pangasinan.

PO1 Sherwin Mamasing of the San Manuel Police Station identified the victim as Romero Gorospe, 40, an incumbent president of the Narra Tricycle Driver-Operators Association and resident of Barangay Narra, same town.

Mamasing said Gorospe had just attended a wedding and was driving home when his van was shot at by unidentified gunmen tailing him aboard a motorcycle.

When the gunmen hit Gorospe and knocked him unconscious, the victim lost control of the van and rammed into a certain Rosalina Cali, a visitor in the town who was then crossing the street.
Cali died on the spot, same as Gorospe, said Mamasing.

The Scene of the Crime Operation team lifted six bullet casings and a deformed slug of a .45-caliber pistol.

Investigators were mum on the motive in the attack but local observers believe the ambush was politically motivated.