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Comelec: Slain Isabela poll official may have 'made enemies'


There is a possibility that the murdered provincial election supervisor (PES) in Isabela may have made enemies in connection with his job at the Commission on Elections (Comelec), the poll body said Monday. “It may or may not be, pwede, alam mo yung trabaho namin (that’s possible, you know our job), we’re not usually lovable people, we cannot entertain everybody’s wishes," Comelec Commissioner Nicodemo Ferrer told reporters in an interview. Ferrer was pertaining to the case of Michael Valdez, a PES who was shot dead inside the Country Estate Drive-In Hotel in Tumauini town, Isabela before dawn on Saturday. [See: Isabela poll supervisor shot dead in hotel.] Initial investigation showed that two men checked in at the hotel before the incident. Shortly after 5 a.m., the two knocked on the door of Valdez’s room, and shot him when he opened it. Describing Valdez as a “happy-go-lucky guy," Ferrer said he could only guess that the poll officer may have unknowingly made some enemies while serving as a PES in the province. “(Maybe) he was not able to please somebody and may have decided in favor of somebody, you cannot help it, that is our function, we have to decide between two contending parties and whoever is not favored may have the reason," he said. Isabela Governor Grace Padaca earlier said she felt a “strong suspicion" that the killing was related to earlier election-related crimes that continue to remain unsolved in the province. According to the Comelec Personnel Division, Valdez had served as an Attorney IV at the poll body’s Law Department from 1999 to 2005 and as PES III in Isabela since 2006. Ferrer said Valdez never told his colleagues about receiving any threats, adding that Comelec plans to leave the investigation to the proper authorities. On Sunday, the police announced the arrest of two suspects linked to the killing. [See: 2 nabbed in Isabela poll exec killing – police.] The head of the Cagayan Region Police, Chief Superintendent Roberto Damian, identified the two as Harry Taccad and Gerry Calanday, who are both from Isabela. He said two more suspects, Lito Magdangal and a certain “Bunny," are still at large. Damian said two vital witnesses have volunteered to share information that could pin down the other suspects. - Kimberly Jane T. Tan, GMANews.TV

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