10 police teams tracking down mayor’s assassins

MANILA, Philippines - At least 10 police teams are scouring Metro Manila and several provinces in Mindanao tracking down the killers of Labangan, Zamboanga del Sur Mayor Okol Talumpa, sources revealed yesterday.

Talumpa and his wife Lea were shot dead as they emerged from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 arrival area before noon Friday.

Saripudon Talumpa, a nephew of the mayor, and 18-month-old Gil Thomas Estuesta Lirazan, who arrived at the NAIA-3 with his parents from Bacolod, were also killed.

Five others were wounded in the shooting.

Sources revealed the police Special Investigation Task Group Okol is focusing on the possibility that the killing was politically motivated.

The task group is set to release today the composite sketch of one of the killers.

Task group chief Senior Superintendent Billy Beltran said the sketch of the gunman was based on the descriptions of several witnesses.

Beltran said investigators are still finalizing some details in the composite sketch to ensure it would match the actual description of the gunman.

National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Director Carmelo Valmoria said there are positive developments in their investigation.

Valmoria however did not elaborate, citing ongoing police operations.

Valmoria also refused to confirm that the gunmen were already identified but stressed the police are now hunting them down.

“I cannot divulge vital information as yet with regards to the suspects as they might telegraph our follow-up operation,” he said.

Beltran, on the other hand, said they have in custody at least 10 witnesses who gave the facial description of the two suspects.

According to Beltran, the witnesses were either close relatives of Talumpa or those who happened to be nearby when the shooting occurred.

“My men are all over Metro Manila and several areas in Mindanao to arrest the suspects. Once we cannot get them this coming week, we will file charges against them in court,” Beltran said.

The Southern Police District (SPD) has dispatched four teams, the NCRPO deployed three teams, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) deployed two teams and a team from the police Intelligence Group (IG) are in the field tracking down the gunmen.

Beltran said the Zamboanga del Sur police are closely coordinating with the task force for the speedy solution of the case.

The source revealed that family feud has something to do with the killing.

“This is a case of rido (clan war),” the source said.

Talumpa, according to a report reaching the Philippine National Police (PNP) headquarters, was involved in an intense rivalry with former Labangan mayor Wilson Kity Nandang.

Nandang lost a son in an ambush staged by unidentified men three months ago in Lanao del Norte.

PNP chief Director General Alan Purisima has ordered the Zamboanga del Sur provincial police to conduct their own background investigation into the case to support the ongoing probe in Metro Manila.

Background investigation in Zamboanga del Sur showed that prior to last Friday’s killing of Talumpa, the political rivalry with Nandang heightened following the ambush-slaying by unidentified gunmen of Nandang’s son three months ago in the town of Sultan Naga Dimaporo in Lanao del Norte.

The report added Talumpa was formerly the vice mayor of Nandang in Labangan.

In the May 2013 mayoral elections, Talumpa challenged Nandang and unseated him as mayor of Labangan.

Unidentified gunmen tried to finish off Talumpa twice, but he survived both attempts on his life.

The first try was in Malate, Manila in 2010 and the second in Pagadian City in 2012. – With Cecille Suerte Felipe, Paolo Romero