Police to summon mayor linked to nine assassins

Investigators are set to summon the mayor of Rizal town in Cagayan, who was tagged as the "employer" of the nine persons arrested for illegal possession of high-powered firearms along the expressway in Laguna on Tuesday.

Police said Rizal, Cagayan Mayor Raul dela Cruz will be asked to shed light on the allegation of one of the nine suspects that he sent them to assassinate a politician who intends to seek an elective post in Cagayan.

Senior Superintendent James Brillantes, chief of the Special Operations Group of the Southern Tagalog region, said they are now preparing the letter of invitation to Dela Cruz.

"Our invitation to the mayor is part of the investigation and does not mean that he is already a suspect," Brillantes added.

Brillantes noted that they are now in close coordination with the Cagayan Regional Police Office to check the background and criminal records, if any, of the nine persons.

"We are verifying information that two of the nine arrested suspects are in the list of most wanted in the region," said Brillantes.