SAN PABLO CITY, Laguna – Murder charges have been filed against three ex-bodyguards of slain former Dolores, Quezon Vice Mayor Danilo Amat before the City Prosecutor here last August 3.
Police Col. Joewie Lucas, chief of police here, identified the accused as William Panganiban, 51, of Dolores; Orlando Ragudo, 43, of Tayabas City, and Rolando Risona, 44, of Dolores.
Lucas said that based on investigation, Ragudo and Risona were the gunmen while Panganiban was the motorcycle driver in the ambush of Amat.
The suspects were former bodyguards of Amat, who were identified by six eyewitnesses, including the victim’s relatives, through a closed-circuit television camera (CCTV) gathered near the crime scene.
A special investigation team created that handles the case of Amat is looking at two motives for the murder – politics and personal grudge, Lucas said.
The special investigation team has the name of the alleged mastermind but its operatives are still gathering more information and evidence, Lucas added.
Amat was ambushed on Seven St. in Barangay San Francisco here last July 22.
He was declared dead on arrival at the San Pablo City General Hospital.
Amat ran for mayor in the May 9 elections but lost.