GAPAN CITY – A local chief executive in Nueva Ecija, along with 23 others, were charged of murder for allegedly masterminding the killing of two cockfight players and two workers of the Gapan Coliseum and Cockpit Arena on March 20, 2006.
Mayor Ernesto Natividad of this city was indicted by the Office of the Ombudsman for the killing of Erickson and Ebertson Pascual, sons of Rodrigo Pascual, his political rival for the mayoralty bid in the 2007 elections.
The Ombudsman resolution also indicted Dalia Cruz, Jobert Dumlao, Crisanto Mateo, Dennis Matias, Romeo Natividad, Ricardo Peralta, Randy Puno and Lorenzo Rueda. The rest are unnamed.
Peralta was the leader of the Red Vigilante Group (RVG) blamed for the strings of summary execution of suspected drug peddlers here and other areas in Nueva Ecija. He was caught by policemen in the City of San Fernando, Pampanga a few years back and charged with some 40 murder cases.
All the charges have yet to be proven.
Witness Virgilio Malgapo alleged that the attack was hatched by the camp of Natividad out of politics.
He also alleged that Peralta, a cousin of his wife, asked his participation in exchange of monetary considerations. He said he was instructed to open the gate of the cockpit for the gunmen’s easy access of the entrance.
In his testimony, Malgapo also said he was paid an initial amount of P20,000. During the attack, he was reportedly hit by a bullet in the head but survived and later went into hiding.
Natividad has been denying participation in the crime. The media has yet to reach him for comments as of press time.
Mayor Ernesto Natividad of this city was indicted by the Office of the Ombudsman for the killing of Erickson and Ebertson Pascual, sons of Rodrigo Pascual, his political rival for the mayoralty bid in the 2007 elections.
The Ombudsman resolution also indicted Dalia Cruz, Jobert Dumlao, Crisanto Mateo, Dennis Matias, Romeo Natividad, Ricardo Peralta, Randy Puno and Lorenzo Rueda. The rest are unnamed.
Peralta was the leader of the Red Vigilante Group (RVG) blamed for the strings of summary execution of suspected drug peddlers here and other areas in Nueva Ecija. He was caught by policemen in the City of San Fernando, Pampanga a few years back and charged with some 40 murder cases.
All the charges have yet to be proven.
Witness Virgilio Malgapo alleged that the attack was hatched by the camp of Natividad out of politics.
He also alleged that Peralta, a cousin of his wife, asked his participation in exchange of monetary considerations. He said he was instructed to open the gate of the cockpit for the gunmen’s easy access of the entrance.
In his testimony, Malgapo also said he was paid an initial amount of P20,000. During the attack, he was reportedly hit by a bullet in the head but survived and later went into hiding.
Natividad has been denying participation in the crime. The media has yet to reach him for comments as of press time.
