2 suspects in murder of Abra board exec charged Inquirer
November 14, 2006
BAGUIO CITY—Police have filed murder charges against two suspects in the Nov. 11 killing of Abra Board Member James Bersamin.
Senior Supt. Rogelio Damazo said the charges were filed against Misael Gatoc, 39, and Julie Aldaca, 22, believed to be hired guns, before the Abra prosecutor’s office on Monday.
A witness identified Gatoc and Aldaca as those who shot Bersamin while the official was jogging early morning at the town plaza of Bangued, the provincial capital, Damazo said.
He said the police were looking at “many angles” on the possible motive, but Bersamin’s campaign against the proliferation of illegal drugs in the province was on top of that list.
“Maraming nagsisilabasan na motive. Antidrug crusader kasi siya (Bersamin), puwede ring drug lord ang nagpapatay sa kanya (We have been receiving many information on the possible motives for the killing because Bersamin was a crusader against illegal drugs. A drug lord could have ordered his execution),” he said.
He said investigators were reviewing the most recent proposed ordinances sponsored by Bersamin at the provincial board to look for clues.
Damazo, however, said he did not believe the murder was politically motivated.
Bersamin’s relatives also dismissed politics was a possible reason, saying the official had no enemies.
“He was not the type of person who would look for a fight. As far as we know, he had engaged only in work-related debates in the province because he was chair of the Consumer Net,” his widow Josefina told the Inquirer.
She also said Bersamin was not planning to run for mayor of Bangued, contrary to reports.
“Ayaw niyang kumandidato sa one-on-one position, balak niya ang tumakbo na lang bilang konsehal ng Bangued (He did not want to run for a one-on-one race like the mayoral post. He was planning to run for councilor of Bangued next year),” she said.
Bersamin, who would have turned 56 on Nov. 15, was on his last term as board member of the second district of Abra.
He topped the race in the provincial board in the 2001 and 2004 elections.
