Gov’t troops in hot pursuit of Cagayan town mayor’s killers

Gonzaga town Mayor Carlito Pentecostes Jr. PHOTO FROM www.gonzaga.gov.ph

MANILA, Philippines—Assailants of the town mayor of Gonzaga in Cagayan who was shot dead during the flag-raising ceremony on Monday are being pursued by government forces.

“The pursuit operation is ongoing and we have placed the troops to follow the escape routes used. The investigation of the police is ongoing and they have suspects,” Northern Luzon Command chief Lieutenant General Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr. told reporters on Tuesday by phone.

The military deployed 150 soldiers of the 21st Infantry Battalion of the the Army’s 5th Infantry Division to go after the suspects. Catapang said they will concentrate in Bandag where the suspects reportedly withdrew.

Carlito Pentecostes Jr. of Gonzaga town was shot dead by unknown suspects during a flag-raising ceremony in front of the municipal hall on Monday morning. Speculations said that it was related to his support for black sand mining.

He had at least nine bullet wounds in his body.

Catapang said they are looking into reports that the attack was made by members of the New People’s Army.

“We’re still not there, not unless the NPA says that they are the ones who perpetrated the killing. We’re not saying that the NPA didn’t do it,” Catapang said, adding that the NPA usually claims their acts.

Reports from the Philippine National Police said that there were about 20 to 30 people involved in the attack.

Gonzaga was a “peaceful” town before the attack. It was a territory of the communist rebels in the late 1980s although Catapang said there are still “NPA remnants.”