Lawmaker, 21 others face murder raps for shootout

GAPAN CITY, Nueva Ecija — Re-electionist Nueva Ecija Rep. Rodolfo Antonino and 21 others, among them two police officers, have been charged with two counts of murder, frustrated murder and attempted murder before the Nueva Ecija Prosecutor’s Office.

Also charged were Police Inspector Paul Gamilo, Senior Police Officer 2 Herminigildo Eduardo and 19 unidentified people.

In separate complaints, former mayor Antonio Prospero Esquivel and his son, Lawrence Anthony Esquivel said they were driving home from a caucus in Barangay Pakul on April 26 when Antonino suddenly appeared at the front left side of the vehicle and shouted at several armed men with him to shoot.

"What happened was a premeditated ambush intended to murder me and my two sons," Esquivel said.

The attack had the elements of murder, he added.

Killed in the attack were Rufino Galang, who is running for councilor in Jaen, and Senior Police Officer 2 Roberto Ferrer, one of Esquivel’s bodyguards.

Wounded were Esquivel’s sons, Lawrence Anthony and Mark Anthony, Senior Police Officer 1 Noli Rey Perez, Senior Police Officer 2 Elmer Bautista, and drivers Edmundo Villeso, Rommel Reyes and Conrado Reyes.

The Esquivel brothers suffered grazing wounds in the head, with Mark Anthony sustaining additional wounds in the arm and chest.

Esquivel is running for mayor of Jaen with Lawrence Anthony as his vice mayor.

Following the killing in Nueva Ecija, Philippine National Police chief Director General Oscar Calderon relieved Senior Superintendent Allen Bantolo as police commander of the province.

However, Bantolo told The STAR in a telephone interview his relief was "only temporary," and that he might re-assume his post after May 20.

"If the order would be followed," he said. "In the meantime, we are out of the picture."

Bantolo was relieved 10 days after Commission on Elections chairman Benjamin Abalos placed Nueva Ecija under its control following a meeting at the provincial police headquarters.

Bantolo had opposed placing the province under Comelec control.

Bantolo, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group Task Force Maverick commander, replaced Senior Superintendent Alex Paul Monteagudo as Nueva Ecija police commander on Jan. 15.

A graduate of the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1983, Bantolo who hails from Antique, is known for his crime-busting exploits. His was credited for the neutralization of the dreaded Benny Velasco Group (BVG) kidnap gang.

Nine members of the gang were killed in a shootout with task force agents last July 29.

The task force also busted the Bulawin Gang, a robbery-holdup band in an encounter in Pasig City last Aug. 3.

Two gang members – a Navyman and an Armyman – were killed while five others were captured.