Matibag wants ‘independent body’ to probe Cinco murder

Former Commission on Elections (Comelec) Education and Information Department (EID) chief Ma. Angelina Matibag wants the investigation of the Velma Cinco murder case removed from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in favor of an "independent body."

Matibag, implicated in the Nov. 20 ambush-slay of Cinco, then chief of the EID, said she would file an appeal seeking to remove the investigation from the NBI and transfer it to any other investigating body.

"I wanted it transferred from the NBI because I know somebody from the Comelec has a connection with them," said Matibag in a telephone interview with reporters.

Matibag was referring to Comelec Chairman Alfredo Benipayo, who the lady official said "implicated" her since the start of the investigations.

"Somebody must be directing the investigations against us," Matibag asserted.

She said that the NBI is bent on implicating her in a crime even before Cinco was murdered.

Matibag disclosed that NBI agent Romulado Asis went to her farm in Batangas last October asking her to show documents pertaining to her property. The Comelec has questioned Matibag’s alleged unexplained wealth.

"What’s the NBI got to do with my case at the Comelec about my unexplained wealth?," she asked.

Meanwhile, the second alleged gunman in the slaying of Cinco, surfaced for investigation at the NBI yesterday.

Mario Francisco, who was earlier tagged by the Manila police as the alleged second gunman appeared at the office of the NBI’s Metro Manila office at about 12:30 p.m. accompanied by his lawyer, Faustino Tugade.

Tugade, the lawyer of Matibag, is also representing Eduardo Robles, Rodolfo Fortich and Ricardo Tumambing, the other suspects in the case.

Fortich and Tumambing are farm caretakers of Matibag, according to Tugade.

"I just want to clear my name. I have nothing to do with the murder," Francisco told reporters.

Francisco, 33, told reporters that he is now employed as an all-around helper at the house of Matibag. He claimed, he was helping Matibag do her gardening chores when Cinco was shot dead.

"I was surprised when my name cropped-up as one of the alleged gunmen, I was at the house of Attorney Matibag at the time of the murder," Francisco said.

In an initial interview with lawyer Romulo Asis of the NBI, Francisco admitted owning a licensed 9 mm Tanfoglio pistol. He said he would surrender the gun to the NBI today.

According to an NBI agent, Robles resembled a cartographic sketch of one of the two alleged gunmen while Francisco resembled a sketch of the alleged lookout. —— with Mike Frialde