Pagdanganan to PNP: Look into unsolved Bulacan slays

CALUMPIT, Bulacan – Former Bulacan governor Roberto Pagdanganan called on Philippine National Police chief Director General Jesus Verzosa to look into the series of unsolved murders in the province, saying that killings employing guns-for-hire have become a “cottage industry.” 

“It’s a very sad thing; criminality seems to be the order of the day with hired killings (becoming) the fastest cottage industry in Bulacan,” he told The STAR.

Pagdanganan said Verzosa should take a careful look at the situation in Bulacan in the past months, while the regional PNP command police should review the performance of local police units. 

Pagdanganan cited a number of high-profile murders in Bulacan that are mostly unsolved, including the killing of his younger brother, former Calumpit town mayor Ramon Pagdanganan, who was gunned down last May 4.

He also took note of the killings of engineer Constantino Pascual of Rosemoor Mining and Development Corp. last June 8; former Apalit, Pampanga mayor Tirso Lacanilao in this town last July 31; councilor Fidel Nacion of San Rafael town and the family of Teofilo Mojica last Sept. 9 and 12, respectively.

Pagdanganan said these unsolved crimes add to the culture of impunity in the province. 

He said one of the factors that aggravate the situation is the inability of the local police to enforce the law. 

He said that during his 12 years as governor, they had gone after criminals in the province.