ANGELES CITY- This city’s chief of police said yesterday there were witnesses to the killing of Sto. Cristo Barangay Chairman Efren de la Cruz last Sunday night, but they seem to have fled so as not to be dragged into case.
In a phone interview, Senior Supt. Eden Ugale said his investigators got information on the identities of the witnesses who, however, could not be located. “These witnesses actually saw two suspects, including the gunman,
when Efren was shot,” he said.
De la Cruz was about to board his pick up vehicle in Barangay Recto in this city when he was shot twice in the head at about 10:30 p.m. last Sunday. He came from a nearby cockfight derby which he had sponsored. Ugale said De la Cruz had parked his vehicle on the side of a well-lighted street near a store and a boarding house near the Angeles University Foundation when he was killed by the suspects who used a .45 calibre pistol.
“There are reports that the gunman had a companion and that they were merely on foot when they committed the crime,” he noted. Ugale also said that two weeks ago, he was with De la Cruz who, he noted, never cited to him
any death threat. “I know of no threat to his life,” he added.
De la Cruz was sworn in last Friday by Mayor Edgardo Pamituan as the new chair of Barangay Sto. Cristo. The victim had a long history as barangay chairman and had at one time been president of the city Association of Barangay Chairmen.
At the same time, Pamintuan clarified that De la Cruz used to be his political supporter, but that during the last mayoral elections, he backed the candidacy of former Rep. Carmelo Lazatin who lost to Pamintuan.
Lazatin statement By way of a text message, Lazatin issued his statement on the De la Cruz killing: “We are very saddened by the tragic death of one of the most dedicated public servants in Angeles City.
Matagal nang tapos ang pulitika pero ganito pa rin ang ginawa sa kanya. Matagal nang may banta kay Kapitan Efren pero hindi naming akalain na talagang hahantong sa ganito. I pray that justice be served.
