Village chief, 2 more face murder charges
By Gabriel L. Cardinoza
LINGAYEN, Pangasinan -- Gov. Ramon Guico 3rd commended the Pangasinan Police Office for the arrest within 48 hours of the suspects in the shooting and killing of a candidate for village chief in Aguilar town.
"I commend and extend my heartfelt appreciation to our police force for their unwavering commitment, dedication, and relentless service to protect the people of Pangasinan," said Guico in a news conference here Thursday.
On Wednesday, Oct. 25, police arrested an incumbent village chief here and two others in connection with the killing on Oct. 22 of Arnel Adolfo Flormata, 41, a candidate for village chief in Barangay Bayaoas here in the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) on Oct, 30. They are now facing murder charges.
Provincial police director Col. Jeff Fanged said the alleged mastermind, Maria Magnolia Repascol Gelido, 58, reelectionist village chief of Barangay Bayaoas here, and Kelly Doroy Rosario, 54, a candidate for barangay kagawad of Barangay Dorongan Punta in Mangatarem town, were arrested after the surrender of Jason Marquez Vicente, 32, of Sitio Casagatan, Barangay Bayaoas here, the driver of the tricycle used by the gunman to escape.
Police said Vicente surrendered at 7:20 p.m. on Oct. 24 as he was bothered by his conscience.
"He (Vicente) thought they were just there to scare those in the campaign caucus," said Fanged.
Assisted by a lawyer, Vicente executed an extrajudicial confession and admitted his participation in the crime and identified Rosario as the gunman and Gelido as the mastermind of the killing.
In simultaneous operations on Oct. 25, Rosario and Gelido were arrested in their respective houses.
The three suspects are now facing murder charges at the provincial prosecutor's office.
"This case is already considered closed due to the immediate and efficient response of our police teams," said Fanged.
Guico said he felt bad about the incident, adding he had consistently called for a peaceful and orderly election. "But this was beyond our control. We have more than 50,000 candidates in more than 1,300 barangay."
According to the Commission on Elections provincial office, there are 57,746 candidates in the province for this year's BSKE.
Of the number, 3,593 are candidates for punong barangay, 28,580 for kagawad, 3,878 for SK chairman, and 21,706 for SK kagawad.
"We have to be fair in winning elections. Let us not resort to crimes and violence. It's not worth it," Guico said.
"We would like to assure the family that we will support them and the police will have to provide more security to them," he added.
Guico said the provincial government will give P100,000 financial assistance to the family.
Flormata's wife, Jacquelyn, filed her certificate of candidacy also on Wednesday as substitute for her late husband in the BSKE.
Earlier, in his report to Fanged, Aguilar police chief Maj. Mark Ryan Taminaya identified the arrested suspects as Gelido and Rosario, including Vicente, 32, who resides at Sitio Casagatan, Barangay Bayaoas.
The three suspects were implicated in the killing of Flormata, 41, an administrative supervisor of Aboitiz Solar Services and a candidate for the barangay polls.
Flormata was shot by the lone gunman as he walked toward his vehicle to change his shirt after speaking at the campaign sortie in Sitio Casagatan, Barangay Bayaoas, at about 11:05 p.m. on Oct. 22.
The gunman immediately fled on board a tricycle driven by an accomplice toward the national road to Mangatarem town.
Flormata was hit in the head and was pronounced dead on arrival by a doctor in a private hospital in Barangay Umangan, Mangatarem.
Taminaya said Vicente, driver of getaway vehicle, surrendered to police Tuesday, Oct. 24.
Assisted by his counsel, Jodalyn Zamuco Idos, Vicente executed an extrajudicial confession admitting his participation in the crime.
He also identified the gunman and the mastermind of the killing.
In simultaneous operations on Wednesday, Rosario, the alleged gunman, was arrested at his residence in Mangatarem town at 6:10 a.m.
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