Revamp Nueva Vizcaya town cops — Comelec

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya — The Commission on Elections here sought yesterday the relief of the entire police force of remote Alfonso Castañeda town for their alleged partiality to reelectionist Mayor Alfredo Castillo, the principal suspect in the kiling of his vice mayor last Dec. 23.

Lawyer Abraham Asuncion, provincial election supervisor, recommended the complete revamp of the PNP personnel in the town, whose peace and order situation had worsened with the growing animosiy between the camps of Castillo and slain Vice Mayor Cezar Lacanilao.

Earlier, the murdered vice mayor’s wife, Esther, accused the policemen for what she described as slow-paced investigation of the Lacanilao case.

She branded the policemen as biased in favor of the incumbent mayor.

Supt. Romeo Hilomen, provincial police director, assigned a number of police personnel from the PNP headquarters here to provide security for the Lacanilao family after several gunmen were seen roaming around their residence.

Asuncion said the relief of all the police personnel of Alfonso Castañeda will ensure a peaceful, orderly and honest election in the town.

Earlier, the poll body placed the remote mountain town under its control after one of the four Lacanilao’s gunmen, Teody Carasco, confessed to the crime and named Castillo as the mastermind.

Despite the suspect’s confession last March, the court has yet to issue a warrant of arrest against Castillo, much to the resentment of the Lacanilao camp. — Charlie Lagasca