Manhunt on vs poll loser, 5 others for 2007 killing

MANILA, Philippines - Police have launched a massive manhunt for a defeated mayoral candidate, his father and brother and three others for the killing of the wife of an Abra town mayor on May 17, 2007.

Chief Superintendent Orlando Pestano, Cordillera police director, ordered his men to enforce the warrant of arrest against Lenin Benwaren, a defeated mayoral bet of Tineg town, his father Pedro and brother Tony, as well as Henry Lee Tan alias Bobong, Nober Calubing, and Jonathan Libuen.

The Benwarens and the three others were tagged in the killing of Brenda Crisologo, wife of incumbent Tineg Mayor Edwin Crisologo, at the height of the counting of votes in the 2007 elections in Bangued, Abra.

Mrs. Crosologo was shot thrice and died a month later at a Quezon City hospital.

An Army soldier shot dead the triggerman, a certain Totoy Bayao, while fleeing the crime scene.

In filing the murder charges against the accused last Feb. 11, acting Abra provincial prosecutor Danilo Bumacod took cognizance of the testimony of a witness who heard them allegedly discussing a plan to eliminate Mrs. Crisologo, who was actively involved in the electoral campaign of her husband.

Bumacod took the responsibility of reviewing the case and filing the charges after Abra provincial prosecutor Nestor Tolentino inhibited himself from the case after receiving death threats.

Bumacod said the accused conspired to kill Crisologo and tapped a certain Bayao to carry out the attack while votes cast for the Tineg mayoral election were being counted in Bangued, the capital town of Abra.

The information filed by Bumacod listed at least eight witnesses, including Dr. Joselito Bringas, who attended to the victim in Bangued, and Dr. Felimon Porciuncula Jr. of the Central Crime Laboratory of the Philippine National Police.

Last Feb. 26, police tried to serve the warrant of arrest on the Benwarens at their residence in Bangued but they were nowhere to be found, prompting Pestano to order a massive manhunt against them.