Aparri mayor, others named persons of interest in vice mayor's slay

The Philippine National Police has named Aparri, Cagayan Mayor Bryan Dale Chan as a person of interest in the killing in February of Vice Mayor Rommel Alameda.

At a Senate inquiry, Police Lieutenant Colonel Arbel Mercullo said Chan and several others associated with him were being looked at as POIs in the slaying.

Sen. Raffy Tulfo indicated that Chan was named a POI because of a possible political angle, to which Mercullo said, "Yes sir."

Tulfo and Sen. Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa proceeded to ask how the others on the list became POIs.

Mercullo said one is a bodyguard of the mayor's while the others were associated with the local chief executive.

He said Darren Cruz Abordo is said to be the owner of the get-away vehicle.

Dela Rosa, the chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs, said Abordo could no longer be found.

He turned to Chan and asked where the other POIs were.

Chan said some of them were with him at the Senate. He said he didn't know two of the POIs Mercullo mentioned.

GMA News Online is still trying to get Chan's comment as regards his being considered a person of interest in the killing.

During the hearing, Alameda’s widow Elizabeth Alameda claimed that Chan allegedly threatened people who filed cases against him, including her husband.

She also recalled that in one of Chan’s meetings, the Aparri mayor told his employees that if he was removed or suspended from his post, he would get back at the person who filed the case against him.

Chan denied the allegations and said that he did not receive any complaint filed against him with the Office of the Ombudsman.

“Wala po akong sinabi, sir,” Chan said.

(I didn't say anything, sir.)

The committee hearing is being held on account of a Senate resolution seeking an inquiry into the killing of the vice mayor, and as regards proposed measures on body cameras and the regulation of checkpoints.

At one point during the hearing, Dela Rosa questioned why one of Chan's bodyguards had been seen at the town hall carrying a rifle.

Dela Rosa said it was a "blatant violation" for a civilian to carry a long firearm.

Chan confirmed that the person in the picture shown during the hearing was one of his bodyguards.

He said the rifle belonged to a policeman in his security detail.

Aparri chief of police Jefferson Mucay said the policeman just asked that the bodyguard carry the gun while he used the toilet.

Alameda and five others were killed when their van was ambushed by gunmen in Nueva Vizcaya in February.

The incident occurred at Sitio Kinacao, Barangay Beretbet in the municipality of Bagabag, Police Major Oscar Abrogena, police chief of Bagabag, said.

An initial investigation showed the victims were aboard a Starex van on the way to Manila when more or less six suspects fired at them, Abrogena said.

The other victims in the ambush were Alexander Agustin Delos Angeles, Alvin Dela Cruz Abel, Abraham Dela Cruz Ramos, John Duane Banag Almeda, and Ismael Nanay.  —Hana Bordey/NB/RSJ, GMA Integrated News