Electric coop directors get death threat certificates: Suspect in ambush of electric coop exec nabbed

By Jun Guiang

DINGRAS, Ilocos Norte -- An alleged member of a private armed group was arrested for the ambush of a president of Ilocos Norte Electric Coop. last year even as Board president Rey Lazo here has confirmed he and his fellow district directors had received death threat certificates from unknown suspects.

Arrested was Jonathan Bagamaspad, 43, a resident here of Barangay Bungcag and member of a private armed group allegedly identified with Dingras Mayor Marynette Gamboa.

Senior Supt. Marlou Chan, Ilocos Norte police chief, said Bagamaspad was one of the suspects in the killing of INEC president Lorenzo Rey Ruiz on Sept. 4, 2009.

Ruiz, father of The Philippine STAR desk editor Cheeko Ruiz, was shot in the chest, neck, and head.

His driver bumped the gunman’s motorcycle, but he managed to escape.

Combined elements of police units in Ilocos Norte arrested Bagamaspad at a checkpoint in Barangay Balacad, Laoag City.

He was in a Toyota RAV4, which was part of a convoy of vehicles led by Gamboa.

During inspection, police found Bagamspad with a licensed Cal.45 pistol but he failed to present a permit to carry firearm outside of residence.

Chan said Bagamaspad is also one of the respondents in the ambush of Barangay Captain Jo-en Canete in Barangay San Esteban, Dingras on Dec. 28, 2009.

Canete died while her companion, former Sangguniang Panlalawigan member Robert Castro, was seriously wounded.

The arrest of Bagamaspad came in the wake of the recent directive by the Philippine National Police to sustain the drive against private armed groups.

This, as Lazo said whether the threats were serious or not, they became extra security cautious in their daily routine work.

Any threat is part of their job but they would not be cowed by it, he said.

Earlier Lazo's predecessor, the late INEC board president Rey Lorenzo Ruiz received several death threats before his assassination last year in Currimao, Ilocos Norte by suspected hired killers.

Lately, INEC officials, employees and member-consumers led by General Manager Renato Balintec and board president Lazo celebrated the coop's 39th founding anniversary held at Ilocos Norte Hotel & Convention Center here under heavy police guards. New Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos graced the occasion as guest of honor and speaker.