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Manila Bulletin devider devider DOJ approves indictment of gunman, councilor over vice mayor's death

DOJ approves indictment of gunman, councilor over vice mayor's death

Published Feb 12, 2019 08:11 pm
By Jeffrey Damicog The Department of Justice (DOJ) has approved the filing of charges against the suspected gunman and a municipal councilor for the killing of Trece Martires Vice Mayor Alex Lubigan and his driver. (MANILA BULLETIN) (MANILA BULLETIN) Department of Justice (DOJ) spokesman Undersecretary Mark Perete disclosed Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Rassendell Rex Gingoyon who is handling the case has issued the resolution concerning the complaint against suspected gunman Ariel Paiton and Maragondon Municipal Councilor Lawrence Arca. In the complaint filed by Lubigan’s widow Gemma, the two have been accused of double murder and frustrated murder over the July 7, 2018 ambush in Trece Martires, Cavite which resulted in the death of the vice mayor. “According to the National Prosecution Service, the case was resolved and released last week indicting Arial F. Paiton for 2 counts of Murder and Lawrence Arca as accessory,” said Perete. On the other hand, the prosecutor cleared three others of the crime including Trece Martires Mayor Melandres De Sagun. “The complaint against Luis Abad Jr., Melandres de Sagun and Ronel Bersamina was dismissed,” Perete said. Gemma, who decided to run as mayor in place of her husband, had accused the de Sagun family of masterminding the killing to rid a rival in the 2019 polls. The mayor’s father, Jun de Sagun, is running for the 2019 mayoral post. Lubigan was aboard his black Toyota Hi-Lux when he got ambushed on the afternoon of July 7 in front of the Korean-Philippines Friendship Hospital. Aside from Lubigan, his driver Romulo Guillemer died from the ambush. Also hurt from the incident is Lubigan’s security aide Romeo Edrinal.
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