Rafanan vows to testify vs ‘Chavit’ in graft cases

BAGUIO CITY — Was it meant to finally silence him?

One of the victims of the ambush Monday morning in Pinagburayan, Vigan, Ilocos Sur that killed three of his family members and his bodyguard vowed before they were waylaid that he will appear before the Ombudsman against former Ilocos Sur governor Luis ‘Chavit’ Singson.

Lawyer Estelita Cordero, president of the Save the Ilocos Sur Alliancce (SISA), a group known for filing a string of cases against Singson in relation to tobacco excise taxes, said Efren ‘Rambo’ Rafanan was to testify for two of the cases filed by SISA against Chavit, thus bolstering ‘talk’ that the juetengate whistle blower, a known political kingpin in the Ilocos region might have had a hand in Rafanan family’s ambush Monday.

Although Rafanan survived a hail of bullets Monday morning, his wife Evelyn, his 15-year old son Raffy, Rafanan’s younger brother Dennis and security aide Elgin de Ocampo were all gunned down.

The ambush took place at around 5:45 a.m. in front of the radio station dzXE where Rafanan, a hard-hitting commentator and an archcritic of Singson, works. He was reportedly on his way to catch up for his program "CIA Connection."

Sixty empty shells of different calibers were found by the investigators including M-16s. The vehicle, a white Toyota Revo had 71 bullet holes in it. The perpetrators, who fled North via a getaway vehicle, were believed to have waited for Rafanan in front of the radio station.

Rafanan has been eyed by SISA to become a witness against Singson in the cases against him at the Ombudsman.

A three time Board Member, he allegedly knew all the anomalous transactions entered by the provincial government while Singson was the governor of Ilocos Sur. The victim also knew about the alleged anomalies entered into by Singson.

"All fingers point to our enemy," Cordero, who took over the leadership of the SISA after former President Nestor Seguismundo resigned, said.

Seguismundo resigned from the SISA last month after finding out that the anti-Chavit group had direct links with the camp of former President Joseph Estrada.

The former Ilocos Sur governor could not be reached for comment as of press time.

On Oct. 4, 2000, Ilocos Sur auditor Agustin Chan Jr. and his driver were waylaid by supposed guns-for-hire in Bantay town, Ilocos Sur . Chan investigated alleged anomalous transactions in the Ilocos Sur provincial government during the incumbency of Singson that showed millions of pesos stashed away from government funds.

To date, no positive developments yet have been seen in the Chan ambush.