2 gunmen ambush mayoralty bet’s ally
Police are now looking into the possible that politics could have played a role in the killing of a known political ally of a mayoralty candidate in Iloilo province.
Forty-seven-year old Arsenio Flaviano, a barangay kagawad of Plandico, Concepcion town, was instantly killed after gunmen ambushed him while on his way home.
Flaviano was riding on a motorcycle with his nephew, Gerald, and daughter, Geraldine.
They came from the birthday of Atty. Ariel Manipula, vice mayoralty candidate of Concepcion town.
According to Zenny, they were traversing Brgy. Lo-ong when two-motorcycle riding men passed through them.
“Wala na kapanaog si Daddy. Gin-ipingan kag gintiro,” Zenny claimed.
She narrated that after her father and the driven fell down, the suspects further shot the already wounded Arsenio.
The driver sought cover then scampered to safety.
“Ako ya nagsinggit sa nagtiro nga indi pagtiruhon si Daddy. Gintayaan pa gani niya ko,” she claimed.
After the incident, the suspects sped off taking the route back to Concepcion town proper.
Police were left with only 6 empty shells and a slug of caliber .45 pistol.
The victim’s caliber .38 revolver with 6 ammunitions, three of which were fired, was also left in the crime scene.
Politics
One of the angles considered in the killing is the victim’s homicide charge.
According to Concepcion Police Station chief Senior Insp. Alejandro Apostol, they are digging up the possibility that killing was an act of vengeance.
But for Arsenio’s wife, Susan, politics could be the most likely motive.
She claimed that her husband acted as a close-in personnel of Concepcion mayoralty candidate Milliard Villanueva, who is running under the Liberal Party.
But she did not elaborate how Arsenio’s association with Villanueva could irked any party or individuals.
As to her husband’s pending homicide charge, Susan claimed that an amicable settlement was reached between them and the complainants.
It was gathered that it was the second time that someone attempt on the victim’s life.
Last December 2009, two persons on board a motorcycle also shot him.
The bullet went through Arsenio’s pants and hit his wife.
As this developed, Apostol said that they would create a task force, 609th Public Safety Management Company, to look into the matter.
