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Trece Martires mayor seeks junking of raps over vice mayor’s killing
Claiming innocence, Trece Martires, Cavite Mayor Melandres De Sagun has asked the Department of Justice (DOJ) to dismiss the charges against him in connection with the killing of city Vice Mayor Alexander Lubigan last July.
In a counter-affidavit filed Friday, De Sagun strongly denied the criminal charges and claimed he has "no motive whatsoever" to have Lubigan killed.
"On the final note, I am completely innocent of the charge and accusation leveled against me," the four-page filing stated.
De Sagun and nine others face complaints for murder and frustrated murder over the deaths of Lubigan and his driver, Romulo Gillemer, a day after the vice mayor announced an intention to run for mayor in 2019, sparking speculation that the killing may have been politically motivated.
"The death of Vice Mayor will not benefit me or my family, personally or politically. There is simply no motive on our part even a political motive for it is a political suicide to commit such a horrible crime for it may affect and destroy the reputation of our family," De Sagun's affidavit stated.
He said he is on his last term of office and will no longer run for any position. He added he was not in the country at the time of the July 7 shooting.
De Sagun said he has been in politics "for the longest time," but has never been involved in "any altercation with the law, much less kill or have someone killed in the name of politics."
In his answer to the charges, De Sagun also appeared to link Lubigan's wife, Gemma, to the incident.
"And how convenient it is that when the fateful event happened, the better half of the Vice Mayor was opportunely left at the gym because allegedly she was not done yet with her routine," his affidavit stated.
"Was she forewarned that something will happen? And now she is running from office and using this unfortunate incident as a propaganda to further her bid," it added.
Gemma will run for mayor in 2019, where she said she is likely to contend with De Sagun's wife.
The mayor also said the evidence against him -- the statement of one Alex Paiton, who purportedly claimed his own brother, Ariel, said De Sagun ordered the killing -- was hearsay, "very unreliable," "untrustworthy," and had no probative value.
In order to support his claims, De Sagun submitted affidavits of three witnesses: the daughter and two siblings of Ariel Paiton, the alleged gunman.
In her sworn statement, Wilma Paiton, Ariel's daughter, denied that her father confessed to the crime to her uncle. Siblings Susana and Michael, meanwhile, said they did not know of a feud between their two brothers, and denied Ariel was threatening Alex for testifying against him.
Lubigan's killing closely followed those of Tanauan, Batangas Mayor Antonio Halili and General Tinio, Nueva Ecija mayor Ferdinand Bote.
