Unidentified assailants shot dead the spokesperson of the Basilan chapter of the ruling Liberal Party (LP), who was also known to be very vocal against the administration of Isabela City Mayor Cherry Lyn Akbar.
Supt. Allan Nazaro, Isabela City police chief, said Nicater Gonzalo was parking his motorcycle near his house on Bermuda Drive in Barangay Aguada in Isabela City when attacked by a still undetermined number of gunmen around 9 p.m.
Nazaro said the gunmen came from behind and immediately fired at Gonzalo. Nazaro was brought to a hospital where he died of multiple bullet wounds, including one in the head.
Arnulfo Dans, LP chair in Basilan, said Gonzalo was very vocal against Akbar’s administration.
“He is a strong critic of the present administration here,” he said.
Dans said party officials, however, were not linking Gonzalo’s killing to his being a critic of Akbar. He said it was up to police to determine the motive for the killing.
According to Dans, party officials found that Gonzalo was also embroiled in a business-related conflict.
The Gonzalo family runs several businesses. Dans said he learned previously that Gonzalo was being removed as treasurer of one family-owned company by his other relatives.
“He said he received some (form of) harassment,” Dans said, recalling a previous conversation with Gonzalo.
The case, according to Dans, has been brought to the Department of Labor and Employment.
Teddy Barandino, another friend of Gonzalo’s, said the victims’ friends were asking Akbar to act on the killing and serve justice to the Gonzalo family.
“Show to the Isabela people that you have control over the police,” he said.
The Inquirer tried but failed to reach Akbar.
She did not return calls and did not reply to text messages sent to her mobile phone. Julie Alipala, Inquirer Mindanao, reporting from Zamboanga City