BARANGAY CAPTAIN, PAL ASSASSINATED

NBI, CIDG join cops in probe

Malasiqui – Tension rose here following the gun slaying of a barangay captain and his companion along an isolated portion of the national highway in barangay Don Pedro before noon last Wednesday.
A day after the killing of  Bakitiw  Barangay Captain Ruben Palaganas, 48, and  his  godson Louie Tantay, 25, a member of the  barangay’s  Civilian Volunteer Organization, men identified with political personalities were  seen roaming around with heavy weapons on hand.
Palaganas and Tantay were bound for home from the poblacion aboard a motorcycle when they were gunned down by the unidentified suspects.
Tantay was driving the motorcycle while Palaganas was sitting at the back. Palaganas had just attended a regular monthly meeting of barangay captains.
While speeding for home, they were waylaid by men armed with handguns who were riding tandem in another motorcycle.
Palaganas earlier survived an assassination attempt last Jan. 26, 2005 when unidentified armed men opened fire on his Toyota Hi-Ace van. He was unscathed but the bullets hit in the vehicle’s windshield.   
Palaganas sustained gunshot wounds in the head and back while Tantay was hit in the head and right side of his body.
Investigators who rushed to the crime scene recovered seven empty shells of Cal. 45 pistol.
Supt. Leopoldo Rivera, Chief of Police of Malasiqui, said also found at the crime scene were a  Cal. 45 pistol that belonged to Palaganas and a Cal. 9 mm. pistol believed owned by Tantay.     . 
Immediately, the National Bureau of Investigation headed by its provincial chief Jose Doloiras, considers Palaganas and Tantay as star witnesses in an earlier crime, joined the investigation of the case.
The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group based in Dagupan City also joined the Malasiqui police and the NBI in the investigation of the case, Rivera said. 
Both Palaganas and Tantay were earlier presented by the NBI as witnesses for the prosecution in the slaying of Leonides Bulatao, barangay Captain of Tambac,  
Being a witness to a crime in which the principal suspect was one Willy Mendoza, alias “Zamal”, an alleged leader of a gang of guns-for-hire, Palaganas was offered by the NBI to be placed under the witness protection program, but he declined.
Mendoza is now detained after his lawyer surrendered him to the court soon after learning that a warrant of arrest was already issued against the suspect.
Some of Mendoza’s henchmen were already arrested by the NBI.
Rivera told newsmen they have already found some witnesses who saw the suspects riding tandem in a black Induro motorcycle trailing both Palaganas and Tantay along the national highway.
Rivera said investigators are also looking into the possibility that Palaganas may have been killed by cattle rustlers who were affected by his unrelenting campaign against them in his barangay.   
Mayor Alfonso Soriano has asked the NBI and the police to exert their utmost efforts in apprehending the killers of Palaganas and Tantay.
He made the requestwhen he went to express his sincerest condolences to the bereaved family of Palaganas, whom he considered as one of the most active, reliable and industrious barangay captains of Malasiqui.
Soriano appealed to those who might   have witnessed the slaying to come out and tell the authorities what they saw so the killing of the two can be solved.
He said Palaganas was close to him as he and the barangay captain’s wife, Lilia, were his students at the Agno Valley College.
Lilia Palaganas works as Soriano’s secretary in his office at the municipal hall.  
Rudy Palaganas, 75, father of the barangay captain, and retired employee of the Department of Public Works and Highways central office, said they were shocked to learn about the slaying of Ruben.
He recalled that this was the second attempt on the life of Ruben.
The younger Palaganas used to work as an employee of the Koto Mines in Zambales in the 90s where he was a labor leader. But when Rudy learned from military intelligence that his son’s life was in danger, he asked him to go home.
He doubts if his son’s previous past as labor leader had something to do with his killing because that was long time ago.
Mr.Palaganas said they do not have any suspect yet and are hoping that the NBI, police and the CIDG can unravel the mystery soonest.

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