Name of losing Ilocos bet found in assassin’s phone

Mayor’s killer a hired gun; cops cornering mastermind
BY MYDS SUPNAD, FREDDIE LAZARO AND JUN GUIANG

BACARRA, Ilocos Norte -- Investigators are looking into the possible involvement of a losing congressional candidate in the gunslaying of Bacarra, Ilocos Norte Mayor Philip Velasco and councilor Marcelo Andaya after his name and phone number appeared in the cellular phone seized from the slain gunman.

Initial reports said the name and phone number of Engineer Rey Nolan Sales was found among the entries in the cell phone of slain assassin Marlo Kabasag.

Sales lost to incumbent Rep. Roque Ablan who was reportedly being supported by Velasco.

Senior Supt. Marvin Bolabola, Ilocos regional chief of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group said it would be premature to link Sales to the murder but confirmed Kabasag was a hired killer.

Kabasag, who stood at about five feet, four inches, had tattoos of the head of an eagle and face of Jesus Christ on both arms.

Kabasag yielded a Cal. 45 pistol and a cellular phone which authorities believe may hold the clues as to who masterminded the mayor’s killing.

Investigators were looking into three possible motives – personal, political or business-related.

Bolabola said they submitted the cellular phone to the CIDG’s Cyber Crime Division in Camp Crame to check and review all its entries.

He said there were other names found in the cellular phone who may be involved in the crime.

Bolabola added they have identified the owner of the Cal. 45 automatic pistol and the motorcycle used by Kabasag.

They were also checking calls Kabasag made on the mobile phone.

Kabasag was allegedly seen in the company of a political figure in Ilocos Norte before the assassination.

Kabasag slipped in unnoticed, approached Velasco and Andaya who were both watching an intermission number during the town’s fiesta celebration last Sunday, then shot them.

Three others, including provincial board member Shirley Ong-Sin and a nine-year-old boy were wounded in the shooting before Kabasag was shot by responding lawmen.

Kabasag was later identified by some witnesses through tattoos on his body

Police said witnesses claimed Kabasag was not a native of Bacarra.

Authorities have increased the reward to P150,000 for information that could lead to the arrest of the mastermind behind the assassination.

Chief Supt. Leopoldo Bataoil, Ilocos regional police director, said P100,000 of the amount was pledged by the municipal government of Bacarra on top of the offer by the Philippine National Police of P50,000.

This, as the closest political rival of Velasco broke his silence on the killing, a report said.
Former provincial board member Pacifico “Pacing” Velasco, who lost in the mayoralty fight against Mayor Velasco, his nephew, spoke on local television and said that he would never resort to violence.

The former Sangguniang Panlalawigan member said he always used peaceful means in resolving differences with late Bacarra mayor. “I would not go to the extreme of eliminating him,” he said in a television interview.

He had earlier said he wanted to attend the wake of his slain nephew to pay his last respect but was later was hesitant to do so for safety reason.

Earlier, former SP member Velasco, also former mayor of Bacarra, had filed several charges against Mayor Velasco with the Ombudsman office in Manila .

Sales, meanwhile, assailed his detractors on the allegation that his cell phone number was listed in the mobile phone which was found in the body of the slain assassin.

“I am a businessman so anyone can have an access to my cell phone number,” Sales said
Regional police director Chief Supt. Leopoldo Bataoil, bared a task force led by Senior Superintendents Pedro Austria and Felix Roman, of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group and the Ilocos Norte police, respectively, is digging deeper into the killing to unmask the mastermind.

Re-elected Vice Mayor Nicomendes de la Cruz, now the acting mayor, led the passage of a resolution condemning the attack.

Velasco was seated beside Andaya and other local officials in the front row when the gunman shot the mayor at close range at about 11 p.m.

Velasco was hit in the neck and below the armpit, and Andaya in the abdomen. The two died while being treated at the Ilocos Norte Provincial Hospital in Laoag City .

Three others were hit by stray bullets. They were identified as Josefina Galapon, provincial board member Shirley Ongpin, and nine-year-old Ron-Ron Laguban.

Townsfolk and officials of Bacarra mourned the death of Velasco, and Andaya. Local officials and employees led by Vice Mayor dela Cruz draped the town hall with black clothes and lowered the national flag at half mast as an act of mourning.

The mourners also offered prayers and novenas at the century-old St. Andrew church for the two victims.

As of press time, no relative of the unidentified gunman had appeared to claim the body at a funeral parlor in Bacarra.

Bataoil said an informant positively identified the assassin’s body three days after the Bacarra killing.

Bataoil did not elaborate on the assassin’s background. “It may jeopardize the probe if we give details about him,” he said.

“Our next move is to know mastermind,” Bataoil said.

Earlier, Bataoil, had raised the reward to P150,000 to anyone who can provide information on the people involved in the killing of re-elected Mayor Velasco and Councilor Andaya of Bacarra, Ilocos Norte.

The cadaver of the gunman, who was shot and killed by Velasco’s security escorts while attempting to flee, was taken to a funeral parlor in the town.

Of the total amount of the reward, P100,000 came from the municipal government of Bacarra and P50,000 from the Philippine National Police.

Bataoil said the victims’ widows Ma. Conception Velasco and Eugenia Andaya have extended their gratitude to the police and President Gloria, Macapagal Arroyo for the immediate investigation of the murders.

“I personally visited the crime scene in Bacarra, the victims and the bereaved families. I relayed the condolences from the PNP chief, secretary of the DILG and President Arroyo,” he said.

Both the widows of the murdered town officials had also asked the PNP to leave “no stone unturned in their investigation and go after those who masterminded the killings.

Probers were looking into various theories in the killings.

Velasco, was about to start his third and final term as mayor when he was shot and killed together with Andaya.