2 nabbed in Isabela poll exec killing - police

NUEVA VIZCAYA, Philippines – The police on Sunday announced the arrest of two suspects in Saturday’s killing of an election officer Isabela province. Chief Superintendent Roberto Damian, chief of the Cagayan Region Police, identified the two as Harry Taccad and Gerry Calanday, who are both from Isabela province. Two more suspects, Lito Magdangal and a certain “Bunny," are still at large, according to Damian. The four are believed to be behind the killing of Isabela election supervisor Michael Valdez last Saturday morning at the Countrystate Drive-In Hotel that he owns in Tumauini, Isabela. The victim died while being taken to the hospital. Malacañang has expressed alarm over the case, noting that it happened a few months before the election period begins. “The Palace is alarmed about this. We expect the authorities to investigate this, including the [Philippine National Police]," said deputy presidential spokesman Gary Olivar. Police said they were able determine the identities of the two other alleged killers during the interrogation and the cell phones of the captured suspects. Reports showed that the mobile number of Magdangal, the alleged gunman, is registered in Taccad’s cell phone while the number of “Bunny" is registered in Calanday’s. Taccad is reportedly a member of a gun-for-hire group called the Magsanoc group. Follow up investigations showed that the motorcycle used as a getaway vehicle is owned by one Leonardo Madamba, an alleged member of Balangue group, another gun-for-hire gang that is also suspected to be behind a string of robberies in the region. Damian said two vital witnesses have volunteered to share information that could pin down the other suspects. - GMANews.TV