Pacquiao ally faces murder complaint

Edwin G. Espejo

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Provincial board member Alexander Bryan Reganit stands accused of plotting the murder of slain Maitum Mayor George Perrett

IN BETTER DAYS. In this file photo, Maitum Mayor George McPerson Perrett distributes PhilHealth cards during an event. He was killed last February. File photo from the Sarangani Provincial Office

GENERAL SANTOS CITY, Philippines – A Sarangani provincial board member faces murder and multiple frustrated murder complaint for the ambush slaying of Maitum Mayor George McPerson “Mac” Perrett last February.

In her complaint filed with the provincial prosecutor’s office, Elsie Perrett said Alexander Bryan Reganit of Maitum town, with at least 7 others, plotted to murder her husband and successfully did so in an ambush on the evening of February 28, 2014.

Also named in her complaint were Ismael Dimaudtang, barangay chairman of Kiayap also in Maitum; Mohalidin Pinto; Mike Kamid; Bashir Sanday; Suharto Abubakar; one alias Uno Dimaudtang; and a certain Amir. The murder and multiple murder complaint also included several John Does.

Reganit is a first-term provincial board member and an ally of boxing legend Sarangani Representative Manny Pacquiao. The Perretts are also Pacquiao’s allies.

Reganit could not be reached for comment as he is still in the US, where he joined Pacquiao’s entourage when the congressman fought Timothy Bradley in Las Vegas.

Pacquiao is slated to arrive from the US on Friday, April 18.

Ambush

The late Perrett was driving home after delivering a speech at the municipal gym when he was waylaid by an undetermined number of men armed with M-16 and M-14 rifles and .45 caliber pistols.

Although wounded in the thigh, Perrett was able to drive his black Fortuner to the police checkpoint where he was given first aid. He was rushed to the hospital in General Santos City but died of cardiac arrest due to severe loss of blood.

Wounded in the ambush were Elsie Perrett and a household help of the couple.

Elsie Perrett, also a former mayor of Maitum, said there were 7 of them inside the victim’s SUV, including the slain mayor when the ambush happened.

Elsie said several witnesses have executed affidavits identifying Reganit and the rest of the suspects.

One of them is Surato Abubakar, alias Kits, who claimed Reganit paid him P30,000 a day after the ambush. In his confession, Abubakar said he acted as lookout and was just about 20 meters away from the ambush site.

Abubakar claimed he was contacted by Mohalidin Pinto to look for hired gunmen to stage the ambush reportedly upon orders of Reganit.

Abubakar said he contacted Bashir Sanday and a certain Amir who are both from Cotabato City.

Blood money

Abubakar said he met Reganit a day after the ambush.

He told investigators that Reganit allegedly said, “O, naa na ang imong bahin (Hey, here is your share)” inside the house of Mohalidin Pinto in Barangay Kiayap on March 1. Abubakar said Reganit hurriedly left after handing him P30,000 wrapped in bond paper.

Reganit is the son of former Maitum town mayor Felix Reganit who was himself gunned down in Tondo in 2008.

Felix Reganit, then vice mayor, succeeded Maitum Mayor George Yabes after the latter was killed in broad daylight by a lone gunman while accompanying visitors at the public market in November 2006.

Felix Reganit lost to Elsie Perrett in the 2007 elections.

Elsie Perrett served for two terms before giving way to her husband. She’s half American like her husband Mac, whose father is a Thomasite who arrived in the then undivided Kiamba town in 1918. Walter K. Perrett, a banker, was executed by the Japanese occupational army during World War II in Kiamba.

Mac, 75 at the time of his murder, opted to become a Filipino citizen even though he has no Filipino blood. His mother was a Thai. – Rappler.com

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