AFP pushes murder raps vs Jon-jon Villanueva

The Armed Forces asked Wednesday the Department of Justice (DOJ) to file murder charges against the son of Jesus Is Lord Movement leader Bro. Eddie Villanueva over last Friday's shooting incident in Bulacan that left a soldier dead. Radio station dzBB said the military's Judge Advocate General's Office (JAGO) wanted Bocaue town mayoral bet Eduardo "Jon-jon" Villanueva Jr charged with murder, multiple murder and obstruction of justice. The JAGO based their recommendations on the complaint-affidavits of 11 Army soldiers from the 3rd Infantry Batallion of the 7th Infantry Division who figured in the predawn shooting. The radio report said the 11 positively identified Villanueva as the person standing in front of the JIL compound in Bocaue at that time and ordered one subordinate to open fire. The 11 said they presented identification cards and declared that they were soldiers, but Villanueva's group allegedly ignored this and still launched the attack. Corporal Leonardo Pataray died in the exchange. The mayoral candidate has insisted that the Army soldiers tore down a campaign billboard of the Cibac party-list group, which is represented in Congress by reelectionist Rep. Joel Villanueva. He said the gun battle erupted as his group was headed towards a police precinct and crossed paths with the soldiers. Joel, meanwhile, said the soldiers identified themselves as members of the Bantay party-list, which has controversial retired Major Gen. Jovito Palparan as its first nominee for the May 14 elections. Jon-jon and Joel are sons of JIL spiritual leader Bro. Eddie Villanueva, who lost his presidential bid against Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in 2004. For his part, Colonel Rommel Gomez, commanding officer of the 703rd Brigade, earlier said that, Jon-jon Villanueva "has to answer for" Pataray's death. The 11 Army personnel were earlier identified as Privates Arnel Manuel and Ariel Cabalquino; Privates First Class Tranquilino Pillos, Isaac Cesar Sang-An, Joseph Winston Lucas, Michael Abalos and Fernando Agurilla; Corporals Joselito dela Cruz, Elpidio Sagucio Jr, Jonathan Cabanig and Roland Dagupan. - GMANews.TV