N. Ecija jail warden gunned down

CABANATUAN CITY, Philippines – The warden of the Nueva Ecija provincial jail was shot dead by an unidentified assailant Wednesday night in what authorities believed could be related to illegal drugs.

Enrico Campos, 55, a retired police officer, died from two gunshot wounds from a caliber .45 pistol and another firearm, provincial police director Senior Superintendent Crizaldo Nieves said.

Nueva Ecija Gov. Aurelio Umali offered a P1-million reward yesterday for the capture of Campos’ killers. He gave the Philippine National Police a month to solve the killing, which occurred near the provincial jail in Barangay Caalibangbangan.

The jail is under the supervision of the provincial government.   

Campos was driving his motorcycle along the Mahar-lika Highway in Mayapyap Sur at around 7:15 p.m. when he was shot. He was declared dead on arrival at the Premier General Hospital.

Umali denounced the attack and urged the police to get to the bottom of the killing.

Nieves said he created Task Force Campos to look into the incident, adding they will do everything to solve the killing within the timeline imposed by the governor.

He said the killing could be work-related or personal. He said they received reports that Campos enforced reforms in the jail, particularly on visitors and illegal drug transactions. 

“We have been looking into his cell phone to see if we can get information,” he said.

Case investigator Police Officer 3 Erwin Gonzales said they will also look into Campos’ records as a former police officer. He said it was unclear if Campos was attacked by a single assailant or by motorcycle-riding men as the area where he was shot was dark.