CAMP OLIVAS, Pampanga – Police released yesterday the artist sketches of the two motorcycle-riding men behind the killing of a barangay chairman in Guagua, Pampanga last Monday.
“The suspects are reportedly members of the Rebolusyunaryong Hukbong Bayan (RHB) operating in the coastal towns of Pampanga,” said Chief Superintendent Ismael Rafanan, Central Luzon police director. The RHB is a breakaway communist group.
Based on the sketches, Rafanan described the gunman as chubby and muscular, sporting curly, shoulder-length hair, brown-complexioned, about 40 to 45 years old, and stands about 5’4” to 5’5’’ tall.
On the other hand, the motorcycle driver stands about 5’5” tall, has medium build, brown complexion and black eyes, and was wearing a baseball cap during the killing of barangay chairman Mario Gulud.
Senior Superintendent Keith Ernald Singian, Pampanga police director, has formed a task force to go after Gulud’s killers.
Nulud, said to be supporter of Pampanga governor-elect Fr. Ed Panlilio, was gunned down in front of his house in Barangay San Juan Bautista, Guagua town.
Reports said the killing was politically motivated, but police downplayed this as mere speculation.
“While the investigation is going on, I appeal to the media not to over-sensationalize the issue so as not to mislead the reading public,” Rafanan said.
Meanwhile, police filed charges yesterday against a certain Alvin Yalung for the fatal shooting last May 23 of Benigno Sigua, a barangay chairman in Dau, Mabalacat, Pampanga.
Yalung is reportedly the husband of Sigua’s stepdaughter.
“The filing of the case against Yalung only shows that the killing of Sigua had nothing to do with politics as was reported in the media. The case (involves) family problems,” Rafanan said.
Rafanan also expressed doubt on the ambush try on Fernando Santos in Barangay Cangatba, Porac town last May 21.
He said probers of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group are looking into some doubtful circumstances on the supposed ambush attempt.
“In due time we will come out with the complete results of the investigation,” he said.
On Nulud’s killing, Rafanan said the RHB was probably behind it because of the barangay chairman’s alleged involvement in the underground movement during his younger days.
Reports said Nulud was allegedly involved in a labor conflict at the Pampanga Sugar Development Corp. in the late 80s and also organized a rally against the construction of the Bataan nuclear plant in 1970. – With Cecille Suerte Felipe