Police said the killing of businessman Ireneo Macayugay, 50, driver Alex Guavez and meat trader Jimmy Roy was triggered by an exchange of insulting words during a political rally the previous night.
A certain Francisco Villaluz was wounded in the incident.
Macayugay was said to be a ward leader of re-electionist Mariveles Mayor Angel Peliglorio Jr., an ally of Gov. Leonardo Roman, who is running for second district congressman.
Roy, on the other hand, was a ward leader of Rep. Enrique Garcia, who is seeking the governorship. Garcia’s son, Balanga Mayor Albert Garcia, is pitted against Roman.
While waiting for the cockpit in Barangay San Isidro to open at about 2 p.m., Macayugay reportedly encountered Roy’s group.
A shootout ensued. Police found 10 caliber .45 slugs at the scene. Five other people involved in the incident escaped.
Senior Superintendent Sahiron Salim, provincial police director, threatened to file charges of negligence against Superintendents Bonifacio Cacho and Domingo Inohaldo, Inspector Rommel Lopez and PO3 Cardo Serrano for failing to turn over to the police command the L-200 pick-up truck used in bringing Roy to the Bataan General Hospital where he later died.
Cacho is the intelligence and investigation chief of the provincial police, and Inohaldo the head of the 304th Police Mobile Group.
Salim said he was also readying charges of obstruction of justice against Mayor Garcia since the pick-up truck was the latter’s back-up security vehicle.
The truck, Salim said, carried firearms issued to Garcia and granted exemptions by the Commission on Elections.
"Now the guns and the controversial vehicle are missing," he said.
Garcia was surprised about Salim’s accusations. He said he was meeting with barangay leaders in Mariveles when he learned that Roy was badly wounded in the cockpit shootout.
He said he then ordered a certain Boyet Damo, driver of the L-200 pick-up truck, to go to the crime scene and rush Roy to the hospital.
Garcia denied owning the vehicle, saying its real owner volunteered it to be one of his back-up vehicles.
"What will be your first reaction to a hapless friend who was left lying on the ground while the other victims were brought to the hospital?" he said, referring to Roy. — With Ric Sapnu