Matillano’s police bodyguard arrested for killing of Palawan poll exec

A rookie policeman was arrested by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) after being identified as the gunman in the murder of an election official in Palawan last Tuesday.

NBI Deputy Director Reynaldo Esmeralda identified the suspect as PO1 Alfredo Carandang, who belongs to 412^th Mobile Group of the Palawan police.

Carandang was recently assigned as a security escort to retired police general Eduardo Matillano, who is challenging re-electionist Puerto Princesa City Mayor Edward Hagedorn.

Esmeralda said they are still investigating if there could be any link to Matillano in the murder of Commission on Elections (Comelec) assistant Petronilo Amorin.

"We cannot help but check on the relationship of Carandang and Matillano. But there is no direct evidence to connect Matillano to the killing of Amorin. We still don’t know if he did it by himself or with Matillano," Esmeralda said.

He said Carandang was assigned to Matillano two years ago.

"Matillano was also the one who provided two legal counsels to Carandang. He was the caretaker of Matillano’s fighting cocks and it was only two years ago when he joined the police force," he said.

Matillano formerly headed the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG).

Esmeralda said Matillano denied any knowledge of the murder of Amorin but admitted Carandang was assigned as his bodyguard.

Esmeralda said two witnesses saw Carandang approach Amorin from behind and shoot the victim in the head with a caliber .45 automatic.

Amorin had just emerged from a restaurant along the highway of Barangay San Pedro in the city when the gunman approached him from behind and shot him several times before escaping.

Esmeralda said they have confiscated the alleged murder weapon from Carandang, who was charged with murder before the Puerto Princesa City prosecutor’s office over the weekend.

"If he does not have a Comelec exemption, then we would file (additional charges of) violation of the Omnibus Election Code against Carandang," he said. – Claudio Daquer Jr.