Alleged masterminds deny involvement in Italian priest’s slay

ARAKAN, North Cotabato, Philippines—The alleged masterminds identified by a suspect in last October’s killing of an Italian priest here have denied any hand in the murder of the clergyman.

William Buenaflor, who ran and lost in the 2010 mayoral election, said he was surprised at being implicated in Fr. Fausto Tentorio’s murder.

Jimmy Ato, the alleged gunman who was arrested earlier, told investigators that Buenaflor, former Arakan police chief Senior Inspector Benjamin Rioflorido, and two others plotted the Tentorio murder.

Ato had also denied killing Tentorio. He pointed to the brothers Jose and Dima Sampulna as the real triggermen.

“I only served as lookout when they killed Fr. Pops,” Ato told the National Bureau of Investigation.

Buenaflor said the claim of the suspect was outrageous.

He also categorically denied involvement in mining activities and said he did not have any interest in a  hydropower plant being built in the town.

These issues were said to be the main reasons why Tentorio was killed. The priest is supposed to have opposed them.

“What reasons do I have? I don’t have personal grudges against Fr. Pop’s. In fact I always attended masses he celebrated,” he said.

Rioflorido also made a similar denial and said he had no motive either to plot Tentorio’s killing.

“I am innocent and don’t know why I was being implicated in the priest’s killing,” Rioflorido told a Kidapawan City-based radio station.

In his sworn statement to the NBI, Ato said he was present when the plot to kill Tentorio was hatched at the house of Buenaflor.

He said as a resident of Kulaman Valley, he knew the Sampulna brothers.

He said days before the killing, the Sampulna brothers saw him at a store and asked him to accompany them to Buenaflor’s house.

Ato said that during the meeting, Buenaflor, Rioflorido and the Sampulna brothers hatched the plan to kill Tentorio.

He said he begged off from carrying out the plot because “I was thinking of my children and I do not want to sacrifice their future.”

Ato said the Sampulna brothers later took the task of killing the priest but asked him to serve as lookout. He added that his brother, Robert, who is now under the custody of North Cotabato Representative Nancy Catamco, had no participation in the plan.

“I don’t personally know them. And if I was the mastermind, why should I plan the murder in my house? My children and my wife would surely know about it,” Buenaflor said.

He said instead of leaking the statement of the suspect, the NBI should have immediately sought his reaction.

“I am willing to submit myself to an investigation to prove my innocence,” Buenaflor said.

He admitted that a few days before Ato’s statement was made public, there were already rumors that he would be implicated in the Tentorio killing “but I did not take this seriously.”

Buenaflor urged Tentorio’s supporters to be calm and let justice takes its course.

“I am calling on the parishioners of Fr. Pop’s not to judge me,” he said.