Army to file raps vs suspects in Bocaue shootout

ANGELES CITY – The commanding general of the Army’s 7th Infantry Division said yesterday he will file murder charges against the son of evangelist Bro. Eddie Villanueva and his supporters from the Jesus is Lord Movement and his police escorts for the shootout that killed a soldier in Bocaue, Bulacan last May 4.

Seventh IB commander Maj. Gen. Juanito Gomez also belied Villanueva’s accusation that the incident, which killed a soldier, was provoked by his men who were removing campaign posters of the evangelist’s son, mayoral candidate Jonjon Villanueva.

Gomez insisted that the soldiers were on "a legitimate mission in Ubihan, Meycauayan" that is not election-related.

"The troops were sent to verify the reported presence of armed groups in the area. When the information turned out to be negative, the soldiers went back to their base in Hagonoy, Bulacan, passing through the town of Bocaue where the shootiut took place," he said.

"A group of armed men in civilian clothes flagged the soldiers, but upon recognizing that the checkpoint was illegitimate, the soldiers did not stop. The armed men readily fired at them hitting Cpl. Leonardo Pataray who died on the spot," he said.

Col. Rommel Gomez, commanding officer of 703rd IB, who led the investigation of the incident, said " the checkpoint conducted by Villanueva’s men is illegitimate since the men posted were not in uniform. The area is not lighted and had no Comelec signboard."

CIBAC partylist Rep. Joel Villanueva earlier said that his elder brother Jonjon arrived for a meeting in the area and found his campaign streamers and posters torn down. He said his brother was then informed that several men on motorcycles were tearing down the posters and billboards, including those from party-lists Butil and CIBAC.

Jonjon said, however, the soldiers were the first to fire at his supporters and police security escorts. – With Dino Balabo