Cagayan mayor’s nephew, aides charged for ex-PC man’s killing

TUGUEGARAO CITY – Two aides and a nephew of a mayor of a remote southwestern town here and three others are now facing murder charges in connection with last week’s killing of a retired sergeant of the now defunct Philippine Constabulary (PC).

Senior Superintendent Jude Santos, provincial police director, identified those facing murder charges as Chito Cauilan and Dik-dik Gundan, reportedly both aides of Mayor Raul dela Cruz of Rizal town, and Kit-Kit Littaua, who, together with Cauilan were tagged as the gunmen who shot dead 50-year-old retired Constabulary sergeant Elmer Baligod.

Dela Cruz was not immediately available for comment.

Also included in the case filed by the police was the mayor’s nephew identified as Kevin de la Cruz and two others, including a son of a barangay chairman of Rizal. However, except for Cauilan, the five other suspects have yet to be arrested. 

The regional trial court here recommended no bail for Cauilan. A separate case of murder was formally filed against the five other suspects before the prosecutor’s office here.

The suspects, police said, were identified by witnesses as responsible in the killing of Baligod, who was shot dead while tending their family’s food stall in front of their house along Del Rosario Street Centro 4 here on June 18. – Charlie Lagasca