Mayor Aldaba's killers named

CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro -- The Philippine National Police (PNP) here has already identified the two suspects in the assassination of San Teodoro Mayor Oscar Aldaba and a warrant of arrest has been issued against them.

Superintendent Napoleon Cachuela, Oriental Mindoro provincial director, said yesterday that Aldaba, 50, who is scheduled to be buried today, was allegedly killed by suspects Larry Aparato, 23, and Len Enriquez, 22, not only because the mayor is a known anti-Communist government official but also because of his continuing refusal to pay revolutionary taxes from his (Aldaba's) private business.

Also, police investigators say that the father of Aparato, identified as Cesar, has a long-time grudge with the slain mayor.

The two suspects, both from Barangay Calsapa, San Teodoro, allegedly shot dead Aldaba on the morning of Feb. 6 as he and his wife were stepping out of the municipal church.

Witnesses said the suspects were backed up by some 20 to 30 heavily armed men, all clad in fatigue uniform.

The case was formally filed Friday at the San Teodoro municipal trial court by Aldaba's wife, Edna. Suspects Aparato and Erniquez are still at large, however.

Meanwhile, eight suspected New People's Army (NPA) members, including two Mangyans who are now at the custody of the provincial police command, were formally charged with rebellion at a regional trial court here.

Cachuela said the suspects, led by a certain Jocelyn Baraquel, disclosed that a warrant of arrest has been issued against them. The others were only identified in the charge sheet as Ka Roxanne, Ka Jojo, Ka Mico, and John, Tommy, Peter and Ben Doe.

The PNP official said the arrested Mangyans, named Larry and Joel Vidal, were included in the case and based on intelligence reports, are either Ka Jojo or Ka Mico. The Mangyans were arrested in Puerto Galera last Feb. 3 and are now detained at the provincial PNP jail.

The eight suspects were also positively identified through intelligence reports as those who killed Puerto Galera policeman, SPO3 Buhay Evangelista, on Dec. 7, 1999 at the same town.