Politics eyed in killing of poll exec in Cotabato

KIDAPAWAN CITY, Philippines – Cotabato Vice Governor Manny Piñol hinted that political feuds in Tulunan town in his province could be the motive behind the killing of the town’s election officer last Wednesday. Piñol’s statement was backed up by a testimony earlier made in a radio interview by Lonlon, son of slain Tulunan election registrar Francisco Mecutuan Jr. Lonlon said politics could have caused the death of his father. He refused to elaborate. "It's all about politics. That’s what we believed in. But I don’t want to say something right now that would put our lives in jeopardy," he said. Mayoral feud On May 17, 2007, three days after the local elections, two mayoral candidates in Tulunan town - Genalyn Mangudadatu and Lani Candolada - said they were proclaimed winners by the Tulunan Municipal Board of Election Committee (MBOC) on two separate occasions. But the Comelec's first division, when it started investigating the case, did not use any of those proclamation sheets submitted to them by both parties to determine who the winner was in the mayoral contest. In an order it issued on July 2, 2007, the Comelec said Candolada got the highest number of votes from the uncontested election returns as compared to Mangudadatu. It added that the election returns presented for canvassing were genuine, valid, and authentic. A day after the order was issued, Candolada assumed post as the town mayor. Forthcoming 2010 local polls Piñol said the killing of Mecutuan could be, in a way, related to the forthcoming local polls in Tulunan in 2010. "The killing of a Comelec registrar was the first in North Cotabato. I won’t allow more killings in my province just because of dirty politics," Piñol said. Candolada, in a text message, said Mecutuan’s death shocked her but refused to comment if the killing was due to the ongoing rift between her and Mangudadatu. "I’m out of the country right now and on an official business and I can’t give any comment regarding it. But I strongly condemn the killing," she said in a text message. Mangudadatu, on the other hand, could not be reached for comment as of press time. Mecutuan was driving his multi-cab on his way home to Matalam town in North Cotabato when waylaid by two unidentified bonnet-wearing men onboard a motorcycle along the highway in Barangay Buayan, M’lang, around 4 p.m. on Wednesday. One of the suspects pumped bullets on Mecutuan’s left temple which caused his instant death, according to SPO4 Albert Claudio, deputy chief of M’lang PNP. Claudio said the suspects could have tailed Mecutuan from Tulunan until they reached the highway in M’lang where they executed the killing. Piñol, in his capacity as the second highest official of North Cotabato, has ordered a thorough investigation of the killing. "Frank [Mecutuan] was a dear friend. He was killed in a broad daylight. I don’t want [dirty] politics to penetrate my province," he stressed. - GMANews.TV