To end violence, Isabela town mayor offers to resign

TUGUEGARAO CITY, Philippines – The municipal mayor of Jones, Isabela has offered to resign to stop the spate of violence in the town, which she believes is due to political rivalry.

Mayor Leticia Sebastian bared her plan during a conference called by Isabela police director Senior Superintendent Sotero Ramos Jr., following the killing of municipal treasurer Mario Duerme.

Sebastian said she does not want people close to her to be dragged into the political fray.

Ramos called the conference after Duerme was shot dead by a suspected hired killer while driving his car on his way home last week.

A week earlier, Jones Vice Mayor Florante Raspado bared an alleged plot to kill him and other local officials by a group of armed men arrested recently in Santiago City.

Raspado, a former mayor of Jones, claimed the assassination plot against him was linked to his plans to run for mayor again in the 2016 elections.

Sebastian defeated Raspado’s wife, Elvie, in the last elections.

In Cagayan, police are eyeing political rivalry in Pamplona in the recent killing of village councilman Edmund Ifurung, brother of Vice Mayor Edwin Ifurung. Laurel said the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group has filed a complaint against five people, including Mayor Aaron Sampaga over Ifurung’s muder.

In another case, police said  the the ouster of Tuguegarao City Mayor Jefferson Soriano in Solana town had nothing to do with killing of security escort Gilbert Acierto on Sunday.

The Office of the Ombudsman ordered the dismissal of Soriano and city administrator Ronald Brillantes for grave abuse of authority over the operation of a flea market and carnival without approval from the city council during last year’s fiesta celebration.