New leads may uncover mystery behind mayor’s slay

TUGUEGARAO, Philippines – Police probers on Friday said they have gathered significant information that could lead to the arrest of the suspects in the ambush killing of a mayor in the northern province of Cagayan late last year. The killing of Rizal municipal mayor Raul Dela Cruz happened on the night of December 3 while he and his companions were passing through Solana town’s Maddarulug village on their way to Manila. Several unknown gunmen fired upon Dela Cruz’s vehicle, killing him and four of his bodyguards. Three others survived. Initial police reports said the killing could be the handiwork of the communist rebels or some of the mayor’s political opponents, or a personal vendetta. Police had said mayor was living a “colorful life" before his death. In a report, Senior Supt. Moro Virgilio Lazo, Cagayan police provincial director, disclosed that the information could be a major breakthrough in unearthing the motive and personalities behind the killing. Lazo, however, said the results of their investigation will be kept under wraps pending the arrest of the suspects and after the mayor’s family have been informed of their recent findings. Dela Cruz’s family, who requested Chief Supt. Roberto Damian, Region 2 police director, for protection and prompt resolution of the case, has since fled the province after they allegedly received death threats from unknown sources. Earlier reports revealed that one of the mayor’s slain bodyguards had been tagged by a witness as one of the gunmen in the killing of Alexander Pagulayan, security guard of a gasoline station in this city’s Pengue Ruyu district. The security guard’s missing shotgun was later recovered by investigators inside the waylaid vehicle. - GMANews.TV