VILLEGAS KIDNAPPING

LINGAYEN— More than a week after the abduction of barangay chairman Roland Villegas, lawmen are still in the dark as to the motive for the disappearance of the former Councilor.

Even Governor Amado Espino Jr. has expressed serious concern over the absence of any progress in the investigation by the provincial police. Senior Superintendent Isagani Nerez, police provincial director, has been tasked to brief him regularly on the progress of the investigation.

In an interview, Espino said the police cannot believe that Villegas, a defeated mayoralty candidate of San Fabian and now serving as chairman of Barangay Anonang, was driving alone the morning he was taken since he is known to be regularly accompanied by a group of bodyguards when moving around.

A text message was reportedly received by a relative of the victim that made reference to money that needed to be returned by the victim. This remains to be validated by the police.

Although remote, Espino suspects that the cause of Villegas’ disappearance may be similar to the gun slaying of a former councilor of Bayambang, Efresinio Sabangan, three weeks ago.

Sabangan was shot dead in front of his house in barangay Magsaysay by two unidentified armed men who alighted from a car.

Earlier, rumors circulated Friday morning that Villegas was dumped dead in front of his house. This was denied by the town’s police.

Nerez, who leads the task force investigating the disappearance, has asked the family of Villegas to cooperate and provide more information about the latter’s business activities and transactions.

He said many angles and theories are being looked into and expressed some frustration that he has not been getting enough information from the family.

“It would be easier to solve the case if the family tells us all that they know,” Nerez said.

Among other speculations are that Villegas may have staged  his own kidnap to cover up his hiding in order to evade a huge debt or that  he was kidnapped by men of a rival businessman.

There was also a report that he was kidnapped in connection with jueteng as it is commonly known that the former Liga ng mga Barangay president of San Fabian was deeply involved in the illegal numbers game.

REWARD

Meanwhile, a P100,000 reward awaits anyone who can give any  reliable information that could lead to the capture of the suspects  behind  the abduction of Villegas.

Nerez said the reward was raised by anti-crime groups in the province like the Pangasinan Muslim Assembly and the Family Alliance Movement.

Villegas was abducted by armed men last Tuesday while he was driving his Nissan Terrano in Barangay Bolasi. The vehicle was later found abandoned in another barangay in San Fabian.—LM

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