Murder charges filed vs Ilocos mayor's mom

Laoag City, Ilocos Norte, Philippines  – Double murder charges were filed against suspects including Dingras Mayor Marineth Gamboa’s mother in the recent killing of a barangay chairman in the town.

Elsie Romero, mother of Gamboa, who has been tagged as the brains in numerous alleged political assassinations in their town, was indicted for killing Barangay Puruganan chairman Maridel Valencia and Deo Arquelada last Jan. 5.

Ilocos Norte police director Senior Superintendent Marlo Chan said they have a crime solution efficiency of 55 percent as far as shooting incidents are concerned, “far better than any other province in the whole Region 1.”

This, amid admission that shootings in Ilocos Norte are alarming so many sectors including Ilocanos abroad who reportedly are being irked with the negative feedbacks on the peace and order situation back in their home province.

“There are really situations, but we are on our heels into solving them,” Chan assured The Star.

Before the Jan. 5 killing of the barangay chairman, Romero reportedly shouted invectives against the slain barangay executive.

Also indicted in the double-murder case now at the prosecutor’s office in Ilocos Norte are the alleged hired guns Christopher Yadao from Sinait town, Ilocos Sur and Randy Baoit from Nueva Era town in Ilocos Norte.

Three more alleged wards of the Dingras mayor were included in the double-murder case.

Gamboa, who, time and again has denied maintaining a private armed group, is also facing administrative charges before the Ilocos Norte provincial board for alleged misconduct in office, abuse of authority and culpable violation of the Constitution.

These charges were prompted by a complaint by a detainee who swore that his life is at stake after telling authorities that Gamboa is involved into killings in the town.