Murdered Cagayan mayor’s widow seeks De Lima’s help

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya , Philippines   – The widow of a slain Cagayan town mayor sought the help of Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, seeking a deeper probe of her husband’s killing more than three months ago.

In a letter, Marilyn Pentecostes asked De Lima to order the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to conduct a thorough investigation that could lead to the identification and arrest of the men who killed her husband, Gonzaga town Mayor Carlito Pentecostes Jr.

Edward Pentecostes, a brother of the slain mayor, confirmed yesterday that his sister-in-law wrote De Lima before she returned to the United States where she is based.  

“Not that we don’t trust the PNP (Philippine National Police), but we believe the NBI has more expertise to conduct a thorough investigation of our brother’s killing,” Edward said.

Pentecostes, 60, was shot by two of eight armed men in camouflage uniforms as he was leading a flag ceremony at the town hall grounds on April 21. He died of nine gunshot wounds in the head and body.

His assailants were among the more than 50 armed men who stormed the municipal building and seized control of the town proper.

The PNP tagged the New People’s Army (NPA) as behind the killing, banking on the communist rebels’ claim that the mayor was executed for helping the military in the counter-insurgency operations.

The PNP filed charges for murder, robbery and arson against the NPA rebels, led by commanders David Soriano and Rolando Ibis.

Ibis, who was among the armed men identified in the footage of a closed-circuit television camera installed at the town hall grounds, is reportedly a close aide of a ranking local official.

“Whatever the motive is, the bottom line remains one and the same – the (NPA) did it,” said Cagayan Valley police director Chief Superintendent Miguel Laurel, adding it is now up to the court to determine the circumstances and motive for the killing.

The Pentecostes family claimed the killing was politically motivated.