BY FELIPE CELINO
ROXAS City — Leodegario “Jun” Labao Jr., tagged as the mastermind of the assassination of Mambusao Vice Mayor Abel Martinez, was asked to file his counter-affidavit before the Department of Justice (DOJ) central office in Manila today.
He was also directed by Assistant State Prosecutor Rassendell Rex Gingoyon to submit the affidavit of his witnesses to be sworn on that day at 1:30 p.m. at the DOJ’s Multipurpose Building on Padre Faura St., Ermita, Manila.
“Failure to appear on the said scheduled date shall be considered a waiver on your part to present your counter-affidavit and evidence, in which the complaint shall be deemed submitted for resolution based on evidence on record,” Labao’s subpoena dated January 16, 2013 said.
The DOJ has reopened its investigation on the murder of Martinez, 79.
A new witness, Roger Loredo, confessed that he was involved in the crime. He also implicated Labao, a Department of Public Works and Highways contractor, as the mastermind.
He said Labao and a certain Philippine Army staff sergeant Rommel Pamotillo, alias “Nene Army,” planned, ordered and paid him, Gilbie Principe and two others to gun down Martinez on May 4, 2012.
Martinez, a community doctor, was on his third term as vice mayor when killed.
He signified his intention to run for mayor of Mambusao and would have been pitted against Labao.
Martinez was shot to death outside his house in Brgy. Poblacion Proper, Mambusao.
Prior to his death, he questioned and condemned the demolition and reconstruction of the Mambusao public plaza without an ordinance authorizing such action, and lack of proper public bidding for the project.
Martinez’s privilege speech and subsequent media interviews garnered negative public reaction toward the project contractor who happened to be Labao.
Loredo is currently detained in the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology facility in Pototan, Iloilo.
Labao and Sharon Martinez, the late vice mayor’s daughter, cannot be reached for comment as of press time.
