Probers: Politics Behind Mayor Cesar Rafael’s Murder

Come on people in power, let’s have a gun ban not only during elections but forever and ever. Politicians, of course, should be the first to surrender their guns. Here’s the latest update on the murder of Paracelis Mayor Cesar Rafael.

Politics behind murder of mayor, probers say
By Dexter See/Manila Bulletin

Bontoc, Mountain Province — Police probers here said that politics is behind the murder of Paracelis Mayor Ceasar Rafael on Dec. 25, 2007.

They said they are now closing in on the suspects in the first sensational political crime in this province.

Senior Supt. Joseph Adnol, director of the Mountain Province police office, said that the investigators have ruled out revenge and personal grudge as motives, noting that circumstantial evidence point to politics as the cause of the murder of the mayor.

He said that the investigators are now validating the information on the five to 10 suspects who, they said, have not yet left the province due to the tightened security they have implemented at various exit and entry points.

However, Adnol did not give any description about the politicians involved in the killing, saying it is still premature to disclose such details because this might prejudice an on-going operation against the mastermind and the killers.

The men who carried out the murder plot on the long-time municipal chief executive of Paracelis are said to be aligned with an influential person in the town.

At the same time, Adnol reported that he had relieved at least 60 percent of the policemen assigned to the Paracelis municipal police station and the provincial mobile group town to prevent a growing factionalism because of reported partisanship among the police officers who are natives of the town of married to residents of Paracelis.

Police visibility and checkpoint operations were also strengthened in the town to prevent the outbreak of violence that may arise from the killing of Rafael who had served the town for over 19 years.

But Adnol said that they are still in the process of searching for eyewitnesses in the murder although they now have witnesses who could provide the substantial details about the identities of the killers and mastermind.

The police official said that they are conducting a thorough investigation so that they will have a air-tight case against those involved.

Natonin town Mayor Ana Marie Banaag, one of Rafael’s daughters, had said that her family is confident in the capability of the policemen conducting the investigation of her father’s murder, adding that they will not interfere in the probe.

She also said they have time and again reminded their supporters and sympathizers to be calm and sober and let the due process take its course.

2 thoughts on “Probers: Politics Behind Mayor Cesar Rafael’s Murder”

  1. Hi Marvin,
    Yup. We want justice. Hope this case is solved and the perpetrators put behind bars. Thanks.

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