Bodyguard seen killing Lingayen pol, wife

MANILA, Philippines - Manila police officers are hunting down a Pangasinan politician’s bodyguard who was reportedly seen shooting former Lingayen vice mayor Ramon Arcinue and his wife, Zorahayda on March 8, an official said yesterday.

Manila Police District homicide section chief Inspector Joey Ocampo told The STAR that a team from his section is zeroing in on the alleged gunman, believed to be a a bodyguard of a Pangasinan politician from another town.

Ocampo, who refused to name the suspect, said the gunman is in his early 30’s, slim and is at least 5’5” tall. He said there were witnesses who saw him shoot Ramon and Zorahayda in front of their rented apartment on Maceda street in, Sampaloc, Manila at around 10:30 p.m. Thursday.

“We just came from Pangasinan but missed the suspect. He was identified as among the bodyguards of another politician from another town there. It appears that the politician did not know that one of his men is involved in the killing. Apparently, the politician does not know that his bodyguard has other ‘works,’” he said.

Investigators said that they are looking at certain personalities in the province who may have a motive to silence the Arcinues.

According to police reports, Ramon was first heard arguing with the gunman outside their house before he was shot. Upon hearing the commotion, Zorahayada went out and was also attacked. Both were shot in the head.

Zorahayda was the incumbent chairperson of Barangay Poblacion in Lingayen. Their son, JC, is supposed to graduate this March.

The attacker spared their two sons, who, along with other family members, rushed the couple to the University of Santo Tomas Hospital. They were declared dead about an hour later.

Witnesses said the gunman fled on foot and boarded a bus along España Boulevard.

Son appeals to P-Noy for justice

Lawyer Joel Arcinue appealed to President Aquino to help them get justice for his parents, who were laid to rest at the Maniboc Catholic Cemetery yesterday.

“We lost two parents. It would not be acceptable if nothing again happens in this case,” Joel told reporters in Lingayen. He added that he and his siblings do not want their parents’ killing to be included among the unsolved cases in the country.

The couple left five children. On March 4, 2011, Ramon and Zorahayda were ambushed while traveling along the national highway in Barangay Biec, Binmaley.

Joel said his family is offering a reward, the amount still undetermined, for information that would lead to the arrest of his parents’ killers. He refused to say whether the first attempt on his parents’ lives is related to the second shooting that killed them.

– With Eva Visperas