PNP orders full security for ex-Bulacan governor

(Updated 12:49 p.m.) MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Monday ordered full security for former Bulacan governor Roberto Pagdanganan following the murder of his brother in Calumpit town Sunday night. PNP chief Director General Avelino Razon Jr said the order is a "preventive measure" as the former governor had told police he received death threats recently. "Magbibigay tayo ng security kay Sec. Obet. Siya rin nagreport na nakatanggap ng death threat (We have given security to Sec. Obet. He reported to us that he received a death threat)," Razon said in an interview on dzBB radio. He did not elaborate on the supposed death threat on Roberto, a former Bulacan governor, who is now presidential adviser on cooperatives, and chairman of the board of administrators of the Cooperative Development Authority. Razon said he also ordered the Bulacan police to thoroughly investigate the incident. "Ito preventive in nature para di mangyari ang nangyari sa kanyang kapatid (This is preventive in nature, so what happened to his brother will not happen to him)," he said of the security for Roberto. On Sunday night, unidentified armed men shot dead former Calumpit mayor Ramon Pagdanganan, during a procession following a fiesta in Calizon village at about 8 p.m. Police cited initial reports by witnesses indicating the armed men fled aboard motorcycles immediately after the incident. Former governor Pagdanganan cited initial police reports indicating that the assailants used a 9-mm and a cal-.45 pistol in killing his brother. He said the shooting was not immediately noticed because there were firecrackers being lit during the fiesta and procession. He said the shooting occurred at about 8:05 p.m. The former governor also scored police scene-of-the-crime operations (SOCO) teams for taking more than an hour before arriving at the crime scene. Meanwhile, QTV's Balitanghali reported Monday that police are eyeing 'love triangle' as a motive in the killing. The television report quoted Chief Inspector Edgardo Acosta, Calumpit police chief, as saying they received information that Pagdanganan had a fight with a man reportedly pursuing the former mayor's live-in partner. The report also said Calumpit Mayor James de Jesus is planning to form a task force that would conduct an in-depth investigation on the killing. - GMANews.TV