New twists in Comelec legal heads’ murders

The widow of Commission on Elections legal department chief Wynne Asdala mentioned senior Comelec staffers and a stenographer who could provide clues to solving the murders of her husband and his predecessor, officials said yesterday.

In a two-page affidavit, copies of which were obtained by The STAR, former judge Fatima Asdala mentioned senior Comelec staffers who were reportedly against her husband’s assuming the post of legal department chief.

Fatima said she overheard her husband arguing with someone on his cellular phone before he met his tragic end. Later in the day, Asdala told his wife and children that some senior Comelec staffers were against his assumption of the legal department’s top post, but did not name names.

She also mentioned Comelec stenographer Rena Ballo as her husband’s constant companion, even on out-of-town appointments. She said Ballo is also privy to her husband’s cell phone messages and personal belongings, including his bank account.

Ballo and Asdala were walking back to the Comelec head office in Intramuros after having lunch at a nearby restaurant when two men on a motorcycle blocked their path at the corner of Andres Soriano and Cabildo streets.

One of the suspects pulled out a gun and shot Asdala at close range, hitting him in the chest. Ballo was spared by the suspects, who fled toward Port Area.

Witnesses failed to identify the suspects as the gunman had a bonnet on, while the driver of the motorcycle was wearing a helmet.

Asdala replaced Alioden Dalaig, who was shot to death on the night of Nov. 10 as he was crossing the street on his way to a casino at the Hyatt Hotel in Ermita. Dalaig’s assassination remains unsolved.

Police lamented Ballo’s refusal to cooperate in the investigation. “She does not want to talk. She even threatened not to sign her statement if investigators insist on questioning her on her personal relationship with Asdala,” said Chief Inspector Dominador Arevalo Jr. who heads the homicide section of the Manila Police District.

Arevalo said their investigation is focused on the possible connection between the murders of Dalaig and Asdala, with vendetta as the most likely motive.

Arevalo also assailed the lukewarm cooperation of the Comelec employees, who “are reluctant to share all what they know about Asdala, possibly out of fear. I can sense that they are trying to hide something from the police. We could not avail of their 100 percent cooperation.”

As for the Dalaig case, Arevalo had released a photo of a man who constantly followed Dalaig before he was killed. The photo was taken from a video footage of a close circuit television camera owned the Hyatt Hotel.

The footage showed the man pretending to play one of the slot machines at the casino while watching Dalaig from a distance. The footage also showed that Dalaig left the casino at 6:38 p.m. and was followed by the same man, who was talking to someone on his cellular phone.

“This man could be the key to the solution of the killings of Dalaig and presumably Asdala. The police will give a reward to anybody who can provide information on the whereabouts of this man,” Arevalo said.

Any information on the mystery man may be relayed to the Manila Police District’s homicide section at telephone number 524-4311, he added.

“We will treat all information with confidentiality and provide security to the informant,” Arevalo said.

Arevalo said they are also looking at vendetta as a motive since Asdala had handled sensitive election-related cases and may have earned the ire of losing litigants.

Agents of the National Bureau of Investigation are conducting a separate probe into the Asdala killing.