PNP: Bote killed over P96-M tourism project; 'contractor' eyed as mastermind

The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Monday said that General Tinio, Nueva Ecija Mayor Ferdinand Bote was allegedly ordered killed over a conflict in a P96-million tourism convergence project in his city by a certain "contractor."

Police Regional Office 3 director Chief Superintendent Amador Corpus presented the diagram of suspects in the killing of Bote with a certain Christian Saquilabon identified as the mastermind.

Florencio Suarez and Roberton Gumatay, the alleged gunmen who were arrested last week in a checkpoint along Andaya Highway in Barangay Cabasag, Del Gallego, Camarines Sur as well as another suspect identified as Arnold Gamboa who surrendered to police have all pointed to Saquilabon as the mastermind in the killing of the local chief executive in their extrajudicial confession.

"Based on the statement 'yung presently detained, the motive of the incident is associated with projects and business, contracts. Away sa negosyo, away sa kontrata tsaka projects," Corpus said.

Corpus said Saquilabon was allegedly a "contractor" based in Nueva Ecija for the project of the Department of Public Works and Highways to develop the "Minalungao Tourism Convergence Park Zone." The police did not elaborate on details but there is a "Minalungao National Park" located at the foothills of Sierra Madre Mountain Range in General Tinio, Nueva Ecija.

The contract name of the project, according to Corpus, is "Convergence and Special Support Program – construction and improvement of access roads leading to declared tourist destinations – access Roads leading to Minalungao National Park."

"Lahat po silang yung gunmen po dalawa supported by Arnold eh tinuturo nila si Christian as talagang nag-insist, naginsist na 'yun nga yung problema niya kay Mayor na ang exact word is sobra nang nanggigipit," Corpus said.

The police has yet to dig deeper into the allegation of the three suspects who executed their extrajudicial confession.

"That is the statement of the arrested gunmen and the one who surrendered to us. They did not elaborate kung anong particular," Corpus said.

"Then we will investigate kung ano nga 'yung pinanggigipit because kailangan naming i-document 'yan kung meron talagang panggigipit na ginawa," he added.

At large

Saquilabon, a certain Jun Fajardo who is the alleged spotter and three other John Does are still at-large. All of the eight suspects were allegedly "given" P25,000 to kill Bote.

"We are not discoutning the fact na mayroong isa pa or probably one or two, we're not discounting the fact but with regards to the details of the contract, it will be the DPWH or the NIA (National Irrigation Administration) that can answer those questions during the litigation already," Albayalde said.

The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group is set to file murder charges "not later than tomorrow" against the three arrested suspects as well as the other identified suspects.

CIDG chief Director Roel said they have an "airtight case" regarding the killing of Bote as they have gathered physical evidence, closed-circuit footages, and the extrajudicial confession of the three suspects.

"On evidence na na-gather natin magsisimula tayo sa identification ng witness or the gunman, mayroon tayo no'n na nag-identify. Second, itong forensic nito, yung dalawang baril, nagtugma yan sa crime scene yung mga bala," Obusan said.

"Third yung sasakyan na ginamit nagtugma yung physical evidence on the CCTV at tsaka yung ginamit na sasakyan which is the Avanza. Fourth, may extrajudicial confession ng tatlong tao which led doon sa nakuhang Vios tsaka sa Fortuner so kumpletong kumpleto ito, parang airtight case na nga ito dahil yung physical evidence, testimonial evidence nakumpleto ng SITG (Special Investigation Task Group) Bote," he added.

Bote was on board his vehicle when he was repeatedly shot with a short firearm by an unidentified gunman at around 4:30 p.m. on July 3 outside the office of National Irrigation Administration in Cabanatuan City.

Bote was killed a day after Tanauan City, Batangas Mayor Antonio Halili was shot dead while attending the flag-raising ceremony at the city hall. —JST/RSJ, GMA News