Murder complaint vs Mangudadatu dropped, lawyer says

The Davao City prosecutor's office on Thursday junked the murder complaint filed against Buluan Vice Mayor Esmael "Toto" Mangudadatu in connection with the killing of his suspected assassin last February 11. Radio dzBB's Benjie Liwanag quoted Mangudadatu's lawyer Nena Santos as saying that the city prosecutor did not recognize the statement of accuser Natividad Kamendan that it was Mangudadatu who ordered law enforcers to shoot her husband — Tamano Kagi Kamendan — at the Gaisano Mall in Davao City. But the complaint against Mangudadatu's two police escorts — PO1 Ibrahem Langalen and PO1 Surab Bantas — were not junked, Santos added. The incident happened while Mangudadatu was shopping with his children. Tamano, based on Mangudadatu's account, allegedly wanted to kidnap his (Toto's) daughter and lunged at Bantas to grapple with a gun. Mangudadatu's bodyguards ended up shooting Tamano dead. But based on the account of Tamano's wife, who was with her husband when the incident happened, Mangudadatu allegedly called out to his bodyguards and said, "Tem bak nu den," which means 'Shoot him.'" Calls made by GMANews.TV to get Mangudadatu's reaction remained unanswered as of this posting. - Mark Merueñas/RSJ/KBK, GMANews.TV