Assassins eyed in ex-pol's slay

By Celso M. Cajucom

GAPAN CITY, Nueva Ecija -- It seemed just a coincidence that a reportedly inactive local politician was shot dead by two suspected assassins on Wednesday night, March 29, when two high officials of the Philippine National Police had just attended the wake of Lt. Col. Marlon Serna in Sta. Rosa town, Nueva Ecija.
    The killing happened about four hours after PNP chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. visited Nueva Ecija on the same day to bond with local police.
    Azurin was accompanied during the visit by Central Luzon Police Regional Office (PRO) Director Brig. Gen. Jose Hidalgo Jr.
    The victim was identified as Zaldy Matias, 60, a member of the political party Bagong Lakas ng Nueva Ecija and a former member of the Nueva Ecija provincial board.
    Police Provincial Director LtCol. Richard Caballero rushed to the crime scene in Barangay San Nicolas in this city upon receiving around 8 o'clock in the evening a report from Gapan City Chief of LtCol. Wilmar Binag.
    Investigator MSg. Norly Balmater in a report of his own said Matias was at the terrace of his house when one of the suspects suddenly approached and shot the victim from at least 5 meters and shot him again from at least 1 meter.
    Fifteen bullets, which were recovered from the scene, had hit Matias in the arms and shoulders but it was believed that a bullet to the chest caused his instant death.
    Brought to the hospital by his family, Matias was declared dead there.
    The victim's wife told Balmater that her husband was no longer engaged in politics because she and Zaldy were busy with their real estate business.
    Nueva Ecija PRO Director Jose Hidalgo said the fatal shooting was "an isolated case, there was no politics involved, but [may be] associated with his personal private business."
    In a telephone interview, he told this writer it was simply a coincidence that the killing happened when he and Azurin were attending the wake of Serna at Barangay Soledad in Sta. Rosa town, Nueva Ecija.
    Serna was at the time of his death the police chief of San Miguel town in neighboring Bulacan province when he was gunned down last week by still unidentified killers.
    Earlier on Tuesday, Hidalgo led the turnover of two patrol cars and 148 Galil assault automatic rifles to the provincial command to be used in their anti-criminality campaign.