Cop’s slay leads to suspension of mayor, vice mayor

BADOC, Ilocos Norte — This town’s mayor and vice mayor, who have been feuding since a policeman was gunned down last July 23, found themselves suspended for 60 days last Friday upon the orders of Gov. Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. The local police chief was also replaced.

The slain policeman, SPO1 Alex Dacosa, a security aide of Vice Mayor Glenn Cajigal, died on the spot when Mayor Tomas Torralba, at the height of a verbal tussle in a wake, allegedly shot him with a caliber .45 pistol.

Marcos issued separate 60-day suspension orders for Torralba and Cajigal last Friday.

Elpidio Ratuita, provincial chief of the Department of the Interior and Local Governments, installed councilors Sheryl Pagaling-Coloma, 26, and Roman Torralba as officers-in-charge (OICs) of the mayor and vice mayor’s offices, respectively.

In a separate move, Senior Superintendent Juan Luna, Ilocos Norte police director, relieved Inspector Laurel Gayya, Badoc police chief, and designated Inspector Rod Galino in his stead.

Luna also deployed an augmentation team here to help defuse tension.

Torralba is facing murder charges with the office of the regional state prosecutor in connection with Dacosa’s death.

Torralba, meanwhile, filed charges of attempted murder against Cajigal for allegedly heading a group which pursued and fired at the mayor and his men after Dacosa was gunned down.

The townsfolk felt the tension brewing between the camps of the mayor and vice mayor when the Cajigal-led municipal council unanimously passed a resolution seeking the transfer of Gayya, a known protege of Torralba.

Dacosa reportedly used to be a police bodyguard of Torralba until he transferred to Cajigal.

Reports said Torralba, accompanied by his security personnel, chanced upon Dacosa during the wake.

Torralba reportedly talked with Dacosa until tempers flared and the mayor allegedly pulled out his gun and shot Dacosa.