Politics eyed in NuevaEcija vice mayor's slay

LICAB, Nueva Ecija– Police are eyeing politics as one of the motives behind the killing of this town’s vice mayor, who won in last May’s elections by landslide.

Police Supt. Manny Hidalgo, deputy provincial police director for operations and head of Task Force Caraang, said they are investigating the possibility that the attack against Vice Mayor Luisito Caraang was politically motivated. “There is a strong possibility that it could be tied to politics.

Caraang, 46, along with two others were on their way home after jogging when fired upon by two heavily armed suspects riding in tandem aboard a motorcycle morning of Oct. 8.

Caraang died at a local hos¬pital.

The political angle was explored by the task force as Caraang’s brother Alberto, barangay chairman of Casimiro, is seeking re-election.

Hidalgo said while Caraang’s murder might be politically motivated, they are not discounting the possibility of personal grudge among others.

Mayor Willy Domingo said the political angle is strong because Caraang has been campaigning heavily for Alberto in Casimiro where there is intense political rivalry.

“If you consider the fact that his brother was running for re¬election, that’s when politics comes into play because Ca¬raang was his brother’s number one campaigner,” he said.

Domingo, however, said he does not want to pre-empt the investigation being conducted by the members of the task force, including the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group and the National Bureau of Investigation. “The investigation is still in progress so let’s wait for the results of the investigation,” he said.

He said their priority is to ensure that justice is served the victim and the perpetrators of the killing arrested.

The slain vice mayor won last May by 4,000 votes over the then-incumbent vice mayor Oliver Villaroman, son of ex-three term mayor Tomas Villaroman.

In Camp OLivas., Pampanga, police authorities Mondayordered Nueva Ecija police to investigate the real motive in the slaying of Licab town vice-mayor Chito Caraang.

“I directed Senior Supt. Roberto Aliggayu, Nueva Ecija, officer-in-charge to further investigate the motive behind the killing of Caraang,” said Chief Supt. Alan La Madrid Purisima, Central Luzon police director.

Purisima also ordered Aliggayu to identify and arrest as soon possible the suspects in the killing of the vice-mayor.

At about 5:10 a.m. the day he died, Caraang, 43, together with Dominador Puno Jr. and Leoncio Javier, of Barangay Casimiro, Licab town, have just finished their jogging and were casually walking on their way home when fired upon by the suspects.

Initial investigation conducted by the Provincial Public Safety Management Co. of Nueva Ecija showed the two suspects were wearing helmet and black jacket riding in tandem on a motorcycle.

Police said the backrider who was clad in fatigue jacket and wearing a cap shot the victim hitting his back and stomach.

The victim, the gunmen immediately fled heading towards Licab town proper.

The victim was immediately brought to the Premiere Hospital in Cabanatuan City but he died while being treated.

The Nueva Ecija police immediately conducted dragnet operation/chokepoint but failed to arrest the fleeing suspects.

Responding policemen recovered two spent shells of .45 caliber which are subjected for ballistic examination.

Nueva Ecija police are still tracking down the suspects.