Black-sand mining deal eyed in Cagayan mayor's slay by NPA during flag rites

From InterAksyon (Apr 21): Black-sand mining deal eyed in Cagayan mayor's slay by NPA during flag rites

Authorities are focusing on an illegal black-sand mining deal that went awry as a backdrop for the assassination of the town mayor of Gonzaga town in Cagayan, by 20 suspected communist rebels during the Monday morning flag ceremony in front of the municipal hall.

The rebels wore camouflage uniform, misleading security officers who let them approach Mayor Carlito Pentecostes and shoot him. Officials denied an earlier report that two of the mayor's security aides were also killed.

The attack happened shortly before 8 a.m. while the mayor was delivering his speech before municipal official and employees including policemen, said initial reports reaching Camp Aguinaldo.

The rebels also commandeered a police vehicle and dragged away two policemen as shields in their escape, Maj. Gen. Benito de Leon, commander of the Army’s 5th Infantry Division, said. “Pursuit operations are being conducted by the 21st Infantry Battalion together with the police,” de Leon added.

Fallout from black-sand mining deal?

Until Monday afternoon, the NPA had yet to issue an official statement to confirm or deny involvement in the brazen killing.

The provincial police director, Senior Supt. Gregorio Lim, said Mayor Carlito Pentecostes died on the spot after he was shot at around 8:15 a.m. at the podium where he was about to begin his speech following the flag raising. He sustained three gunshot wounds in the body.
 
“After the Pambansang Awit, the mayor was about the deliver his speech when two armed men in camouflage uniforms approached him and shot him,” Lim said.

The commander of the 5th Infantry Division. Maj. Gen. Benito de Leon, confirmed black-sand mining business was a factor in the killing, citing intelligence unit reports from the 21st Infantry Battallion.

“Isang angulo dito ay ‘yung negosyo sa black-sand mining. Parang revenge dahil sa hindi pagtupad sa usapan [Black-sand mining is an angle here. It appears to have been a revenge killing because someone didn’t fulfill his part of the bargain],” de Leon said, without elaborating.

It was clear, he said, that the “mayor was the target of the group. We don’t even know the identity of the group but there are speculations na merong hindi happy dun sa mga [that some people were disgruntled over the] business arrangements in the area. So, parang ginantihan siya [it appears some people took it out on him,” he added.

Pentecostes had been known for his alleged role in black-sand mining operations in several coastal barangays in the municipality, and affected residents, including the NPA rebels, were known to have opposed it.

De Leon said up to 20 armed men in military uniforms arrived in a van and an Elf-truck several minutes before flag ceremony.

Because the men were in camouflage nad had disguised themselves as part of the formation, the security officers allowed them to come near the mayor, when it appeared that they wanted to tell him something.“But [then they suddenly pointed guns at security personnel, disarmed them and then [shot the] mayor,” de Leon added.

There was no firefight after the rebels shot Pentecostes.

He clarified reports about the two security aides of mayor being among the fatalities in a firefight. “Wala. It appears there is no firefight in the municipal grounds but there are reports that after kasi hinabol nga yung grupo, may reports na nagkaroon ng firefight sa habulan,” de Leon said.
 
In April 2002, the NPA’s Benito Tesorio Command in Isabela gunned down the mayor of Jones town, Jesus Sebastian, at the lobby of the municipal hall.
http://www.interaksyon.com/article/85160/black-sand-mining-deal-eyed-in-cagayan-mayors-slay-by-npa-during-flag-rites