American shot dead in Angeles

ANGELES CITY, Philippines  – A 63-year-old American national was gunned down, as he was about to board his motorcycle at the public market in Barangay Pampang here yesterday morning, police said.

In a report to Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan, Senior Superintendent Danny Bautista, city police chief, said the victim, James Basham, married to a Filipina, was carrying a bag of goods he had bought from the Pampang public market and was boarding his motorcycle when he was shot at close range.

The gunman then boarded a waiting red motorcycle driven by another man and sped toward Barangay Kalayaan.

Bautista said bystanders rushed Basham to the Ospital ning Angeles where doctors declared him dead on arrival.

Probers were still clueless on the killing, Bautista said.

A number of foreigners have been killed in this city, some of them apparent victims of robbery.

Some of the cases have remained unsolved, while a few, such as the series of killings of foreigners and their Filipino companions last July, led to the arrest of suspect Mark Dizon who is now on trial.

In Dizon’s case, the regional trial court (RTC) has ordered a speedy but fair trial, citing the “seriousness and international impact” of the case.

Judge Philbert Iturralde of RTC Branch 58 told prosecutor Allan Pasamonte to present at least two witnesses during each pre-trial that started last Aug. 9, and to finish the presentation of all his witnesses this month.

Pasamonte said he would present at least 16 witnesses, including four in the car theft and robbery cases filed against Dizon way back in 2003 as well as 12 others in the multiple murder and theft cases related to the killing of retired US Air Force M/Sgt. Albert Mitchell, 70, his wife Janet, 53, and their house helpers Isabel Fajardo, Marissa Prado, and Yulberto Catli in their home at Hensonville Court Subdivision in Barangay Malabanias here last July 22.

Iturralde has set special hearings on Dizon’s case in the morning so the prosecution could finish its job by the end of this month.

Dizon also face murder charges for the killing of South African national Geoffrey Allan Bennun, 60, and his live-in partner, Abegail Helina, 20, whose decomposing bodies were found in their home at Oasis Hotel and Villas at the Clarkville Compound in Barangay Anunas here last July 12.

Dizon is also a suspect in the killing last July 16 of Briton James Bolton Porter, 51, and his live-in partner, Melissa Madarang, 22, in their house at Sta. Maria Subdivision in Barangay Balibago here.