Palace exec files attempted murder raps vs Cagayan gov

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines – A Palace official has filed criminal charges against Cagayan Gov. Alvaro Antonio in connection with the shooting of his convoy during the recent midterm elections.

Based on the complaint of former congressman Manuel Mamba, head of the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office, police filed a case of multiple attempted murder against Antonio before the provincial prosecutor’s office last May 21.

Besides Antonio, several John Does were included in the complaint that was recommended for filing by Senior Superintendent Pedro Danquilan, head of the task force that investigated the shooting incident in Alcala town.

Mamba alleged that Antonio was the one who fired at his four-vehicle convoy while passing through the governor’s hometown of Alcala at around 2 p.m. last May 13.

Mamba, Cagayan chairman of the Liberal Party, said he was on his way from Tuguegarao City to Aparri town to monitor the balloting when the incident happened.

In his complaint, Mamba alleged that he and his companions saw Antonio holding an AK-47 assault rifle as he stood in front of the Alcala town hall with two aides, who were also armed with long and short firearms, while their convoy was cruising the national highway.

“Gov. Antonio appeared drunk as he seemed unstable on his feet and he was holding a long firearm which looked to me like an AK-47 assault rifle and he was aiming the rifle straight at the vehicle I was in,” Mamba alleged in his complaint.

Mamba alleged that Antonio fired shots at them, with a bullet hitting the radiator of one of their vehicles, a dark green Ford Expedition, which he said was the last vehicle in their convoy. Two civilians and a police escort were on board the car.

Mamba, a former three-term congressman of Cagayan’s third district, said he was on board the first vehicle, a white Toyota Fortuner, with four others, including another police escort.

Upon hearing the successive gunshots, Mamba said they sped away toward neighboring Gattaran town to enter the incident in the police blotter.

Several witnesses, including residents, corroborated Mamba’s allegations, saying in their respective sworn affidavits that they saw the governor brandishing an AK-47 rifle while Mamba’s convoy was passing through the Alcala town proper.

Antonio could not immediately be reached for comment. However, his camp, in earlier pronouncements, denied the allegations.

The governor earlier claimed that he was resting in his residence when he heard the gunshots.

He also argued that Mamba’s linking him to the incident was a mere excuse for the defeat of his brother, three-term Tuao town Mayor William Mamba, to him in the gubernatorial race.

Antonio belongs to the United Nationalist Alliance, which is allied with the Team Cagayan of Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile.

The Mamba clan, however, retained the mayorship of Tuao, their hometown, with Antonio Mamba overwhelmingly winning the post in the recent elections.