Bulacan mayor faces frustrated murder raps

MANILA, Philippines – The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has filed frustrated murder charges against the mayor of San Jose del Monte in Bulacan and four others for the ambush of a city engineer last year.

The charges against San Jose del Monte Mayor Reynaldo San Pedro, his brother Ricardo, Councilor Reynaldo Policarpio, Omar Amir Haji and Alex Ragua and a certain “James” were filed with the Bulacan prosecutor’s office on Monday.

Rufino Gravador Jr., San Jose del Monte City engineer, was driving his sport utility vehicle in Barangay Bulac in Sta. Maria town on Dec. 2 when motorcycle-riding men blocked his path and shot him. He was hit in the shoulder, nape and buttocks and confined in a hospital for several days.

Max Salvador, NBI chief for Metro Manila, said the respondents could have conspired to ambush Gravador, who stood as witness in the plunder complaint filed against San Pedro, Vice Mayor Eduardo Roquero Jr. and 15 other city officials for the construction of the P300-million San Jose del Monte City Hall.

Gravador had opposed the project, saying it was overpriced by P160 million. He said he has been receiving death threats after the plunder case against San Pedro was filed before the Office of the Ombudsman.

San Pedro earlier offered a P100,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the suspects in the ambush amid suspicions he was behind it.