Ex-mayor suspects still at large

WESTERN Visayas Regional Police Director Isagani Cuevas confirmed Thursday that most of the suspects in the assassination of former Pulupandan mayor Luis Mondia are still in Iloilo.

Cuevas said, the police could not yet establish an evidence that will lead to the identity of the mastermind who ordered the killing of Mondia.

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It was established by the police that the assailants of Mondia are hired guns.

Mondia, who was running for mayor of Pulupandan, Negros Occidental, in the May polls against incumbent Magdaleno Peña, was gunned down near the Jaro Cathedral on Feb. 17.

Cuevas also explained that the police could not yet arrest the suspects as the case is now under the preliminary investigation by the prosecutor and that warrant of arrests would be out as soon as the fiscal's office submits the case at the proper court.

Task Group Mondia of Western Visayas charged Bernard Pacifico, Joebert Gumban, Premitivo Pacifico, Eusebio Poblacion, Ramy Enojo, Jerry Solido, alias Utong Laolao, and four “John Does” for the murder of the mayor.

"All of them are from Iloilo and they are given ample time to file their counter affidavits based on the allegations of the witnesses that provided us the testimonies. We want to have witnesses; we are all governed by law. We have that due process clause," Cuevas said as he assured that there is no whitewash in the Mondia case.

"As members of the PNP (Philippine National Police), it's our duty to give justice what is due to everybody", Cuevas said in reaction to claims about the delay of the PNP in handling the Mondia case.

Cuevas further said their strategy is to establish and arrest the triggerman based on the testimonies of some witnesses who were in the area during the gruesome killing. After the warrants have been issued, we have to arrest them and conduct another investigation to find out who the mastermind is, he added.

"We could not conclude yet if the killing of Mondia was election-related. We could not also establish yet if the suspects have links in Negros Occidental," Cuevas further said.

Meanwhile, Cuevas said Pulupandan is now under close watch by the police especially since there was another shooting incident that happened in the town involving the town's administrator.

"We have directed Col. Felix to conduct an investigation. It was found out that the town administrator and the victim has a personal grudge against each other. In fact the victim was brought to the hospital in Bago and the assailant voluntarily surrendered and had himself treated in a hospital,” Cuevas added.