Police to focus on ‘personal grudge’ in Fr. Mark Ventura killing

Police on Tuesday said they are now focusing on the angle that Father Mark Anthony Ventura was killed because of personal grudge.

"Hintayin po natin 'yung resulta ng aming imbestigasyon, at 'yung sinabi po naming mga motibo, nandiyan po lahat 'yan. Pero 'yung isang malaking pinagtutuunan namin 'yung personal grudge against kay Fr. Mark Ventura," Director of Cagayan Valley Police Regional Office Chief Superintendent Jose Mario Espino said in an interview on GMA News TV's Balitanghali.

Espino said further investigation added weight on the personal grudge angle, more than Father Ventura's advocacy on anti-mining.

"Kinonsidera na po namin yang anti-mining [advocacy] niya, 'yung pagiging director niya sa isang eskwelahan dito sa Cagayan at 'yung kaniyang pagiging parish priest, pero po malaki po talaga 'yung anggulo based po du'n sa mga account ng aming mga witnesses na na-interview dito sa personal grudge na sinasabi natin."

On Sunday, President Rodrigo Duterte presented a matrix of supposed illicit affairs of Father Ventura.

Duterte said some of the women are married to a vice mayor, a policeman, a soldier, and a businessman.

On Monday, police confirmed the priest's alleged illicit affairs are among the angles they are investigating.

Espino earlier said the angle of personal grudge may fall under the love angle.

He said the police are also now aiming for the arrest of the identified suspects.

Espino urged Father Ventura's family, colleagues and friends to give information on whether the priest mentioned anything about his problems or concerns.

"So far, sa ngayon, wala po kaming natatanggap except for kung ano 'yung mga sinasabi ng mga witnesses sa kaniyang sinasakupan," Espino said.

Espino refused to give details of the suspects.

Father Ventura a 'good person'

A Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) official, meanwhile, said he was "shocked" after Duterte exposed the supposed illicit affairs of Father Ventura, but they are leaving the investigation up to the police.

"Nabigla naman kami du'n sa isiniwalat ng pangulo kasi basically, kami dito sa Simbahan, hindi naman talaga na-forsee 'yan, hindi namin inakala na magkakagano'n, pero ang malinaw naman dito, pinagsusumikapan ng police na mabigyan ng solusyon 'yung kaso and at the same time, makita talaga kung ano 'yung motibo at mahuli na kung sino 'yung pumaslang at sino man ang nasa loob nito," Rev. Fr. Jerome Secillano, Executive Secretary of Permanent Committee on Public Affairs of CBCP said in a separate interview.

"Kung ano naman ang mapapatunayan dito, well siguro naman, tatanggapin naman 'yan ng Simbahan o ng pamilya, basta ang mahalaga dito ay lumabas ang katotohanan," he added.

Secillano said he had met Ventura, who became his student at the University of Santo Tomas.

"Sa pagkakakilala ko sa kaniya, napakatahimik na bata niyan, friendly, at napaka-affectionate sa ilang taon na pagsasama namin, kalalaro din ng basketball katulad ko, so mabait na bata," Secillano said.

Secillano said it was also his colleagues' recollection on the personality of Father Ventura.

He said the Archdiocese of Tuguegarao, which has jurisdiction over Father Ventura, is coordinating with the police.

He said he has talked to Father Ventura's best friend, who said the victim is not giving details on his problems or concerns.

"Pero ang description niya, 'Well I can only say that he was really very friendly, very affectionate sa mga tao,'" Secillano said. — Jamil Santos/RSJ, GMA News