Slain ‘gang leader’ tagged in jail warden’s slay

CABANATUAN CITY, Philippines – The alleged leader of a gang engaged in contract killing in Nueva Ecija was tagged as the brains in the murder of a jail officer here last month. 

Renato Galang allegedly masterminded the killing of provincial jail warden Enrico Campos, said Senior Superintendent Crizaldo Nieves, provincial police director.

Galang was killed in an encounter with lawmen in Aliaga town last Sept. 9. He was also linked to the murders of Police Officers 2 Marcos Lopez and Rolando Basmayor Jr. Campos, 55, was shot dead near the provincial jail in Barangay Caalibangbangan last Aug. 13.

Nueva Ecija Gov. Aurelio Umali has offered a P1-million reward for the capture of Campos’ killers and gave the police a month to solve the killing.

Nieves said jail guard Alfredo Donato Sr. and detainees Romeo dela Cruz and Leonilo Sarmiento have signed affidavits attesting that Galang was behind Campos’ murder.    

Donato said Galang threatened him and Campos when they posted the suspect’s photographs as a suspect in the killing of Lopez.

Dela Cruz said that after Campos was murdered, Galang reportedly told Donato that he would be the next on his hit list.  

Sarmiento said Campos’ killing could have been sparked by the reforms he initiated in the jail.