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TUGUEGARAO CITY, Philippines – Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Oscar Albayalde said murder charges have been filed against the alleged gunman in the murder of Cagayan priest Father Mark Ventura.
In a chance interview with reporters on Friday, June 1, Albayalde said the alleged gunman was identified as a certain Arthymus Reynon, a resident of Sanchez-Mira town, and a suspected hired killer.
Albayalde said Reynon was also the suspect in the killing of Edmund Ifurung in 2014. Ifurung was a barangay kagawad (village councilor) in Cabaggan, Pamplona town, when he was gunned down.
Ifurung’s brother, Edwin, pursued murder charges against then Vice Mayor Aaron Sampaga for his brother’s death. Sampaga would then be shot dead by unknown assailants in August 2016.
Investigators said Reynon was identified as they were escaping through Baggao town after the killing of Ventura in Gattaran town on April 29.
Love triangle?
Albayalde said they are looking into a love triangle as a possible motive in killing of the 37-year old priest.
President Rodrigo Duterte in a speech earlier justified the priest’s murder by saying Ventura had illicit affairs with several women. Duterte showed a matrix to prove his point. (READ: ‘Murder is murder,’ bishop says as Duterte hits Fr Mark Ventura)
Albayalde confirmed that the matrix of Ventura’s supposed illicit affairs came from police intelligence in Cagayan Valley.
“Yes, iniimbestigahan namin (‘yang matrix). Na-identify naman ‘yan. Most of the information came from the police here, came from this region,” Albayalde said. (Yes, we’re investigating the matrix. We have identified that. Most of the information came from the police here, came from this region.)
Although there are already names of interest and the suspect was already charged, Albayalde said they have yet to identify the mastermind.
The arrest of the suspect, he said, will lead them to identify the mastermind of the crime.
“Kailangan talaga nating mahuli ito para magkaroon tayo ng custodial investigation at tactical interpellation para malaman talaga natin kung sino mastermind nitong pagkabaril kay Father Ventura,” he added.
(We need to catch him or her so that we can have a custodial investigation and tactical interpellation, so that we can identify the mastermind behind the shooting of Father Ventura). – Rappler.com
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