Former political rival eyed in Maconacon mayor’s killing

ILAGAN CITY, Philippines – A former political opponent of slain Maconacon, Isabela Mayor Erlinda Domingo is being eyed as the mastermind in her killing, an official said yesterday.

“All facts gathered from the arrested suspect lead to one personality believed responsible in the slay,” Isabela Gov. Faustino Dy III told The STAR, referring to the arrest of Marsibal Abduhadi, the alleged gunman, in Quezon City last Friday.

Dy said the police may terminate its investigation this week and file the necessary charges.

Dy and Isabela police director Senior Superintendent Franklin Mabanag did not identify the suspect, except to say that he was a political opponent of Domingo. They added that a manhunt for the suspect is underway.

Mabanag,who flew to Maconacon on Saturday to personally assess the situation, said his men were not able to locate the “subject” at his residence Barangay Malasin. Walter Abdul Villanueva, who ran against Domingo in the 2010 elections, is a resident of the barangay.

Merlito Rapanut, a municipal councilor of Maconacon said he last saw Villanueva during the deadline for the filing of certificates of candidacy.

Earlier, the family of the late former mayor Francisco Talosig asked authorities to spare them from suspicion of involvement in the killing of Domingo.

Royle Gordon Talosig, 35, told The STAR their family had shunned politics and have relocated to their hometown in Cabagan since he lost to Domingo in 2010.

Meanwhile, the Quezon City prosecutor’s office has recommended the filing of additional charges against Abduhadi.

Assistant City Prosecutor Gibson Araula recommended that Abduhadi be charged with illegal possession of firearms, ammunition and explosives. Abduhadi was earlier charged with violation of the election gun ban and the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act.

Araula did not recommend bail on the illegal possession of explosive charge. A bail of P442,000 was recommended for the rest of the charges.

Abduhadi was arrested in Salaam Mosque compound in Barangay Culiat Friday night. Recovered from him were an Intratec Ingram pistol, two hand grenades, magazines for a .9mm Pratik gun, a magazine for a .22 caliber gun, sachets of suspected cocaine and shabu and other drug paraphernalia. – With Janvic Mateo