Sasmuan mayor seeks NBI probe on assassination try

Sasmuan, Pampanga Mayor Catalina Bagasina wants the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to find out why gunmen tried to kill her as she was crossing the Pampanga River in Barangay Malusak last May 23.

In her party was President Estrada's eldest son Joel.

A new witness told Sasmuan police that Bagasina was the assassins' target and that the gunmen shouted at them: "Is the mayor with you?" after their boat hit a huge mound of earth on the river bank during the ambush.

Bagasina went to the NBI yesterday for help after police officials in Pampanga refused to believe that she was the target.

She told The STAR her political adversaries could have hired hit men from the Rebolusyonaryong Hukbo ng Bayan (RHB) to kill her.

However, Central Luzon police director Chief Superintendent Roberto Calinisan and Sasmuan police commander Chief Inspector Manuel Chica said the incident was "a mere chance encounter."

"The rebels happened to be there at a time when Bagasina's party was with several cops," Calinisan said.

The witness, Anita Manalang, 22, said she and four others yelled back: "She's not here! She's not here!" before they ducked behind the overturned boat.

Manalang, who is an employee of the mayor's husband Manuelito , gave her statement to police last Friday after recovering from trauma and a fractured ankle.

Manalang was on board the speedboat carrying television reporter Vincent Rodriguez, the lone fatality in the ambush, when the assassins opened fire at Ejercito's party. -