Ex-Ilocos Norte mayor indicted for power co-op exec’s killing

LAOAG CITY, Philippines – The Department of Justice (DOJ) has ordered the filing of murder charges against the former mayor of Dingras, Ilocos Norte for the 2009 killing of the president of the Ilocos Norte Electric Cooperative.

The DOJ reversed the ruling of the provincial prosecutor’s office which dropped former mayor Marineth Gamboa of Dingras town from the charge sheet. 

The DOJ conducted a reinvestigation of the case and subsequently ordered the local prosecutor’s office to charge Gamboa and a certain Jonathan Bagamaspad for the murder of Ilocos Norte Electric Cooperative president Lorenzo Rey Ruiz.

Earlier, the provincial prosecutor’s office had filed murder charges against Saturnino Pagaling, Victor Cahudoy and Noel Aurellano for the Ruiz killing. The three are detained at the provincial jail.

Gamboa, a mayoral bet in next year’s polls, filed a motion for reconsideration at the DOJ through her legal counsel, lawyer Ferdinand Ignacio.

Gamboa said she would pursue her mayoral bid despite the DOJ decision. – With Raymund Catindig