Masbate town mayor, 5 others face murder raps

An incumbent mayor of Placer town in Masbate, his two police escorts, and three others are facing murder charges in connection with the killing of a supporter of the local official's rival last week. The filing of a murder complaint against Placer Mayor Judd Lanete before the Masbate Provincial Prosecutors Office was based on an in-depth investigation on the killing of Carlo Cencero last April 18, said Bicol regional police spokesman Superintendent Eliciar Bron. Lanete is seeking re-election. Others included in the charge sheet are the mayor's police escorts — Police Officers 1 Gilbert Tampus Pantingan and Cyril Cordova, and political allies Barangay Kagawad Junjun Malazarte, Barok Tan and Bebot Dobungko. Bron said three witnesses pointed to Patingan as Cencero's gunman. Bicol police have recommended the recall of all of Lanete's security escorts. "In the meantime, additional police and military forces have been deployed in Placer to address the situation and prevent any further occurrences of election related incidents," said Bron. The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is considering placing Masbate under Comelec control following recent violent attacks in the province. Placing an area under Comelec control means that the Comelec commissioner to be assigned in the province would be the acting governor. It would also give the commissioner a say in running the province as well as all the law enforcement agencies in the province. — with Johanna Camille Sisante/RSJ/LBG, GMANews.TV