BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya , Philippines – Murder charges have been filed against suspects in last Saturday’s killing of Isabela’s highest-ranking election officer, whose murder had generated fears of possible violence in next year’s polls in the province.
Of the five charged suspects, police said, two of them - Harry Taccad and Gerry Calanday - were now in police custody following their arrest in follow-up operations in connection with the shooting of provincial election supervisor Michael Valdez in Tumauni town.
“Taccad (of Tumauini) and Calanday were both (suspected) members of robbery and gun-for-hire groups. They have been charged with murder along with three others in connection with the killing,” said Superintendent Vicente Valdez of the provincial police office.
Taccad and Calanday, both arrested in their safehouse in Tumauini town, were already subjected to inquest proceedings with no bail recommended before the Isabela prosecutors office Sunday evening or hours after their arrest.
Authorities are still tracking down the whereabouts of the other three suspects included in the charge sheet. They were identified as Lito Magdangal alias Michael, Giovanni Taccad Mendoza alias Bunny and a certain Eric Alzate.
Witnesses
Police said that Magdangal, said to be a resident of Santiago City, and Bunny of Kalinga province were the principal suspects in the killing.
The five suspects, police claimed, had long been suspected members of the Magsanoc and Balangue robbery and gun-for-hire groups operating in Santiago City and Roxas town, also both in Isabela.
Police said they have witnesses linking the suspects’ involvement in Valdez’s killing.
Moreover, the remains of the 37-year old Valdez, who succumbed to three gunshot wounds on the back while being rushed to the Tumauini community hospital, were already taken the other day to his native Agoo town in La Union.
It was learned that Valdez’s half-brother, Felimon Asperin Jr., then the election officer of Bauang town, was also shot dead in the said town three year ago.
Valdez, a lawyer, was tending his garden near his owned Countrystate Hotel and Drive Inn, when two suspects, armed with .45 caliber pistol and who earlier posed as hotel guests, went to him from behind and shot him about 5:45 a.m. Saturday.
The suspects then fled immediately on board a red Honda Wave motorcycle, whose registered owner was later traced to a certain Leonardo Madamba, a suspected member of the Balangue group who was said to be responsible in a series of robberies in Isabela.
Isabela Gov. Grace Padaca, who renewed her call for the relief of provincial police director, Senior Superintendent Jimmy Rivera following the incident, described the killing as “terrible but not totally unexpected.”