Laguna mayor files murder raps vs vice mayor, 8 others

STA. ROSA CITY, Laguna — Mayor Jose Catindig Jr. has filed frustrated murder charges against his vice mayor and eight others, including the four relatives of a murdered city councilor, in connection with the May 10 foiled slay try on him.

Named as respondents in the nine-page complaint sheet were Vice Mayor Arlene Arcillas-Nazareno, City Assessor Nelly Gomez, City Council Secretary Cynthia Gomez, City Councilor Arnel Gomez, Angel Perez and four other John Does.

Arcillas-Nazareno was the daughter of the late mayor Leon Arcillas who was gunned down inside the City Hall shortly after officiating a mass wedding on May 10, 2005.

Catindig said the Gomezes were the wife, sister and son, respectively, of murdered councilor Artemio Gomez, who was slain 40 days after the killing of Arcillas. Perez, meanwhile, was a brother-in-law of the slain councilor.

The late Gomez was also the closest ally of Arcillas in the city council.

Lawyer Raymond Fortun accompanied Catindig in filing the case before City Prosecutor Alberto Nofuente the other day.

In Catindig’s complaint, he said the men who tried to assassinate him — SPO2 Rodolfo Grutas and Angelito Ancot — admitted being part of the group who plotted his assassination.

Cynthia Gomez, however, denied the allegations.

"Wala naman kaming motibo para ipapatay si Mayor at isa pa, hindi naman namin siya itinuturong nagpapatay kay Councilor Gomez, bakit naman kami gaganti sa kanya (We do not have any motives to have the Mayor killed. He is not involved in the killing of Councilor Gomez, so why do we have to retaliate)?" she said.

In a statement sent to The Star, Arcillas-Nazareno said: "For the past few days, I have been receiving information that I am being linked to the alleged attempted ambush on Mayor Joey Catindig and his 10 bodyguards by a lone gunman last May 10. While I do not want to give importance to this black propaganda, let me categorically deny that I have something to do with the alleged ambush."

"Linking me to that ambush is a desperate move on the part of my political opponents and those of my late father who himself was assassinated last year and remains unsolved," she added.

Arcillas-Nazareno said she already requested the NBI to do a separate investigation on the alleged ambush of Mayor Catindig.

"The people of Santa Rosa knows the truth and they will not be fooled by any black propaganda," Arcillas-Nazareno said.