Last week’s shooting of party-list Representative Ranulfo Canonigo in front of his home in Marikina City may have been triggered by internal squabbles within his organization, the Kapatiran ng mga Nakakulong na Walang Sala (Kakusa), a House colleague said in a privilege speech on Wednesday.
Zamboanga del Norte Representative Rosendo Labadlabad urged police investigators to pursue this angle in determining the motive behind the attempt on the life of Canonigo, who was still recovering in the hospital from gunshot wounds in the neck, back and thigh.
Condemning the attack, Labadlabad said Canonigo, a second termer, was being pressured to resign as Kakusa president before he was shot by still unidentified assailants in Concepcion Uno village on December 11.
“I am reliably informed that, very recently, he had publicly made known before audiences in various towns of Zamboanga Sibugay and Zamboanga del Norte his frustrations and disappointments, as well as his misgivings about the real intentions of certain Kakusa senior officials,” he said, without naming the officials.
“To be sure, taped recordings of his recent interviews with media men from Dipolog City tell a lot about the identities and possible motives of the crime’s perpetrators,” he said.
Kakusa, whose name indicates that it is an advocacy group for people thrown into jail despite being innocent, has former Zamboanga del Norte Rep. Romeo Jalosjos, a convicted child rapist, as its founder and chair emeritus.
Labadlabad also recalled that Canonigo, who also hails from Zamboanga del Norte, had told him of his desire to independently pursue genuine reforms within his group.
“But why the unabashed desire to permanently silence Congressman Canonigo? Is he privy to sensitive transactions and information that could damn his former allies or patrons? Only Dodong can probably answer these questions,” he said, referring to the wounded lawmaker by his nickname.