Police to probe motive in Ecija vice mayor's slay

CAMP OLIVAS, Pampanga, Philippines  – Police authorities here yesterday ordered Nueva Ecija police to investigate the real motive in the slaying of Licab town vice-mayor Chito Caraang. 

“I directed Senior Superintendent Roberto Aliggayu, Nueva Ecija, officer-in-charge to further investigate the motive behind the killing of Caraang,” said Chief Superintendent Alan La Madrid Purisima, Central Luzon police director.

Purisima also ordered Aliggayu to identify and arrest as soon possible the suspects in the killing of the vice-mayor.

At about 5:10 a.m. Saturday, Caraang, 43, together with Dominador Puno Jr. and Leoncio Javier, of Barangay Casimiro, Licab town, have just finished their jogging and were casually walking on their way home when fired upon by the suspects. 

Initial investigation conducted by the Provincial Public Safety Management Co. of Nueva Ecija showed that the two suspects were wearing helmet and black jacket riding in tandem on a motorcycle.

Police said the backrider who was clad in fatigue jacket and wearing lousy cap successively shot the victim hitting his back and stomach. 

After shooting the victim, the gunmen immediately fled heading towards Licab town proper.  

The victim was immediately brought to the Premiere Hospital in Cabanatuan City but he died while being treated.

The Nueva Ecija police immediately conducted dragnet operation/chokepoint but failed to arrest the fleeing suspects.

Responding policemen recovered two spent shells of .45 caliber which are subjected for ballistic examination.

Nueva Ecija polce are still tracking down the suspects.