A CANDIDATE for the Cebu City Council was gunned down in a crowded area in Barangay Lorega San Miguel at 2:40 p.m. yesterday, while shaking hands on his way to a campaign event.
Police investigators suspect an illegal drug deal that went sour provoked the attack, but the victim's family blamed politics.
Cresistomo "Tata Negro" Llaguno, 35, had been tagged by the police as a major player in the illegal drug trade. He was supposed to hold a press conference today on allegations linking him to narcotics, as well as attempts to portray Vice Mayor Michael Rama as his alleged protector.
Officials from the police and the Commission on Elections (Comelec) saw no basis, despite Llaguno's death, to recommend placing Cebu City in the Comelec's watch list for May 10.
Llaguno died at 5:30 p.m., said Chief Insp. Michael Anthony Bastes. Three hours earlier, he was heading for a "pulong-pulong" in Lorega and about to shake the suspected gunman's hand.
Police arrested a suspect, Jimmy Dialia of Siaton, Negros Oriental, yesterday afternoon.
Senior Supt. Patrocinio Comendador, Cebu City police chief, told reporters the police are not discounting the possibility that the killing was politically motivated.
For now, however, the strongest possible motive is the illegal drug trade, he said.
"There was reportedly some cash from a drug deal that was not remitted. But we are still verifying this information," Comendador said.
He said he sees no basis to recommend the inclusion of the city in the Comelec's watch list of "areas of concern."
Lawyer Edwin Cadungog, city election officer for the south district, said the suspicions of Llaguno's family will still have to be validated.
"Layo pa kaayo na. The police have to validate the allegation before it can recommend placing Cebu City in the watch list, and that still has to go to Comelec en banc for approval," he said.
That process cannot be completed before the May 10 elections.
Llaguno was heading for the barangay sports complex for a "pulong-pulong" when Dialia allegedly attacked.
Dialia was intercepted and arrested by a team of Special Weapons and Tactics policemen along the road in front of Zapatera Elementary School.
Pedro Maloloy-on, 21, who was about a meter away from where Llaguno stood, said the victim approached and extended his hand to Dialia.
Instead of shaking Llaguno's hand, the gunman allegedly shot the victim twice at close range. Llaguno slumped to the ground.
Maloloy-on said Dialia walked a few steps, but when he saw that Llaguno was still moving, turned back and fired three more shots.
Dialia fled toward Sitio Gamol, where he boarded a Talamban-Colon jeepney.
A storeowner told reporters that at 2:30 p.m., Dialia bought a bottle of beer and P50 worth of cell phone load credits.
While drinking beer, Dialia talked to someone on the phone.
Moments later, the gunshots sent the crowd scampering in different directions.
Llaguno's supporters and those who arrived with him but entered the complex ahead ran out and rushed the victim to the hospital.
Residents pointed the Swat team to the direction where Dialia fled and boarded a jeepney that was heading downtown. One took note of the plate number.
P03 Arthur Sabang of the Swat team said they intercepted the jeepney and asked all those inside to step down. Dialia was the last man out.
Police confiscated from him an Armscor .45 pistol and two loaded magazines. Twelve bullets filled the two magazines.
Dialia was taken to the Investigation and Detective Management Branch, for a tactical interrogation.
Llaguno's nephew Junpakz Cinco, 23, claimed he saw Dialia visiting Llaguno's headquarters on B. Rodriguez St., Sitio Kawayan, Sambag 2 thrice last month.
In the first two visits, Llaguno was out campaigning.
Some time in the second week of April, Cinco said, Dialia went back to the headquarters and spoke with Llaguno. The gunman allegedly asked for help from Llaguno to
buy some medicines he listed on a scrap of paper.
It was the first shooting of a candidate in Cebu City in years, but the police saw no basis to place the city in Comelec's watch list.
"It is just coincidental that the victim is a candidate. But the fact remains that he was charged with illegal drugs…he had a shady personality," Comendador said.
Llaguno's older sister, Ma. Thalia Hellstern, 40, believes the attack was politically motivated.
"He had no enemy. Buotan kaayo ang akong igsuon. Kalaban sa politika gyud ang mihimo ini (He was a good man. Only a political opponent could have done this)," she said.
She said about four weeks ago, Llaguno received threatening text messages from an unknown sender.
Hellstern also denied allegations her brother was a drug pusher. He was in the computer business, she said.
Hellstern also said it is unfair for Llaguno's name and that of Vice Mayor Rama to be dragged into the illegal drug trade.
She said Llaguno and Rama are not friends.
Llaguno was supposed to hold a press conference today to answer allegations about his alleged role in the illegal drug trade and the attempts to link him and Rama.