2 hired guns ‘tapped’ to kill 4 politicians

April 6, 2009 in Iloilo news | Tags: crime, Jett Rojas, Juancho Alvarez, peace and order, Ramon
Rojas slay case, Vicente Espinosa

Dela Paz: The usual suspects

By Francis Allan L. Angelo

POLICE are running hot on the information that two alleged crime ring members have been
tapped to kill four public officials in northern Iloilo.
Senior Supt. Ricardo dela Paz, Iloilo Provincial Police Office (IPPO) director, said the two
persons allegedly hired to kill 5th district board member Jett Rojas, Ajuy Mayor Juancho Alvarez
and two Sangguniang Bayan members of Ajuy have links to the dreaded Ilonggo group.

The Ilonggo group gained notoriety for robbery and kidnapping operations in Metro Manila and
Luzon in the 80s and 90s.

Dela Paz said the two alleged guns-for-hire, whom he refused to name, are also linked to robbery
incidents in Iloilo.

Based on the information obtained by The Daily Guardian, one of the alleged assassins is
related to a suspect in the Jefferson Tan kidnapping case and strings of robberies.

The IPPO chief said they continue to monitor the movement of the group that are plotting to
liquidate Rojas and Alvarez.

“We have cautioned Board Member Rojas and Mayor Alvarez to be more careful after we have
identified the persons hired to kill them. They are the usual suspects although it is possible that
they have new recruits in their group after we neutralized 11 suspected robbers and assassins in
the province last year,” dela Paz said.

Dela Paz also noted that robbers in Iloilo have “diversified” to becoming assassins because of the
prevailing economic crunch.

“Some of them are willing to offer their services just to earn money,” he added.

Rojas said the plot on their lives could be linked to the murder of his cousin, Ajuy vice mayor
Ramon Rojas who was shot dead May 2008 while jogging in the poblacion.

Rojas said they are taking extra precaution even as he called on those plotting against them to
stop further bloodshed in their town.

The police had accused businessman Vicente “Etik” Espinosa of masterminding the vice mayor’s
assassination but the Iloilo Provincial Prosecutor’s Office dismissed the case for lack of probable
cause.

The case underwent review by the Department of Justice but Secretary Raul Gonzalez Sr. has yet
to issue a resolution because he is still asking for a copy of the sworn affidavit of suspected
gunman Dennis Cartagena who tagged Espinosa in the case.

The Rojas family earlier provided a copy of Cartagena’s statement but Gonzalez said it went
missing in his office.

Espinosa denied any involvement in the Rojas slay case in an interview with RMN-Iloilo.