Lopez claims he was the target in Saculles slaying
SAN MANUEL ELECTION
SAN MANUEL—I was the target.
The claim was made by mayoralty candidate Eddie Lopez, currently chairman of Barangay Gueset Norte, following the shooting in Barangay San Juan last April 11 of Adriano “Darwin” Saculles, an ally of re-electionist Vice Mayor Salvador Perez who is from a rival party.
“Binaril ako no’ng nagkakampanya ako sa Barangay San Juan buti na lang naka-dive ako,” said Lopez, asserting that the gunshots that killed Saculles were actually directed at him and could have been perpetrated by his political opponents.
“There were three motorcycle riders in the area who were wearing yellow shirts as the color of our group, whom we suspect might be the gunmen,” Lopez, a member of the Liberal Party Aksyon Demokratiko, said.
However, physical evidence from the initial investigation of the San Manuel police shows that the bullets were about 700-800 meters away from where Lopez’s group was.
The bullets, from a caliber 40, 45, and 9 mm., have been brought to the crime laboratory for ballistic examinations.
Perez earlier called for a deeper probe into the incident as initial reports reaching him indicate that Saculles might have been mistakenly suspected to be “spying” on Lopez’s group that was campaigning in the area.
LETTER
Lopez reported the alleged ambush aimed at him last April 14 through a letter sent to the police station
However, San Manuel chief of police Ildefonso Cojpag said they are still looking into Lopez’s claim that just minutes after the gunfire, news allegedly coming from the municipal hall that he had been shot to death spread quickly.
Lopez and his running mate Daisy Barrameda, an incumbent councilor, said they now fear for their lives and might no longer go out to campaign
Barrameda also dismissed the possibility of a peace covenant signing as she cited a number of unsolved killings in the town that they believe are politically motivated.
Lopez said he had requested for a security detail citing death threats and the shooting and wounding of his son, Barangay Kagawad Conrado Allan Lopez last August 21, 2012.
San Manuel is one of the municipalities in the police’s list of priority areas of concern for the elections.–Johanne R. Macob
Share your Comments or Reactions
Powered by Facebook Comments
