Police eyeing politics in Ilocos Sur shooting

STA. MARIA, Ilocos Sur — Police authorities suspect that politics had something to do with the failed assassination of this town’s vice mayor in Candon City the other day.

This, as Mayor Edgar Florendo, whose differences with Vice Mayor Romeo Tan, are well-known, denied he had a hand in the slay attempt.

"I don’t want this dastardly act to happen in my town," Florendo said.

He said he believes the attack on Tan was "100 percent not political but personal." He did not elaborate.

The two used to be party mates until a few months ago when Tan teamed up with Lakas-CMD mayoralty candidate Ellen Cabatu.

Inspector Eric Buenconsejo, Sta. Maria police chief, told The STAR that his investigators are looking into several motives but added they are focusing more on the political angle.

"It’s political season and our immediate concern is that the shooting may have political undertones," he said.

Senior Superintendent Mario Subagan, Ilocos Sur police director, corroborated this, saying that Tan has no known personal enemies so the investigation is zeroing in on the political angle.

Prior to the shooting, Subagan said Tan had been tailed by motorcycle-riding men in his barangay sorties since last December, prompting him to provide the vice mayor with a police escort.

Tan’s police bodyguard, however, was not around when two men shot him in the right arm and leg with a caliber .45 pistol before dawn last Thursday in front of a church in Candon City.

Tan, who was to attend the signing of a peace covenant, had advised his security escort to go home and take a rest after they visited a barangay the previous night.

Tan is now out of danger.

After Florendo and Tan parted ways, the latter exposed alleged irregularities in the former’s administration.

Tan was also instrumental in the issuance of a temporary restraining order (TRO) by Narvacan Regional Trial Court Judge Arturo Buenavista, stopping the release of the town’s share of tobacco excise taxes amounting to P18 million. It was feared that the money could be used for the political campaign.

Tan has also petitioned for a permanent injunction for the fund release. It was scheduled for hearing yesterday but was postponed due to Tan’s condition. — With Eva Visperas