Pulupandan Mayor Magdaleno Peña refuted the statements in the counter-affidavits made by defeated mayoral candidate Samson Mondia and his witnesses who are respondents in cases of murder and frustrated murder.

In his reply-affidavit, Peña reiterated all the statements stated in his accusatory-affidavit as well as in the affidavits of his witnesses, most of whom claimed to be actual eyewitnesses to the ambush incident on May 30 last year, in Pulupandan.

Mondia, in his counter-affidavit, said Peña failed to immediately name the perpetrators of the ambush, citing the personal investigation of Senior Supt. Rosendo Franco, Negros Occidental police director, immediately after the incident.

Although injured, Peña, Pulupandan Councilor Gerard Suatengco, Diego Anciano and Marciano Miravales survived the ambush. Killed were his bodyguards identified as Ronnie Gegavine and Jose Morel Merced.

Peña said he identified the perpetrators and participants of the ambush, but he refused to identity them before the PNP as he seriously doubted their impartiality, especially that of Supt. Celestino Guara who was assigned in Pulupandan during the May 2007 elections.

Peña also said the admission of Samson Mondia that he is interested in the operation of arrastre business at the port of Pulupandan provided the motive on his part to kill him and his supporters.

He added that the hiring of Martin Mata, a regional Sparrow commander of the NPA, with a pending arrest warrant, by Mondia among his security escorts, indicated an alliance between the CPP-NPA and the Mondia family. Samson Mondia has denied that he hire Mata as his security escort.

The New People's Army in Negros had claimed responsibility for the ambush of Peña and his companions last year.

Mondia could not be reached for comment last night.

PO2 Ariel Flores and PO2 Pedrito Lupo who were among the escorts of Peña who figured in a brief gunbattle with the rebel ambushers said in a joint reply affidavit that they often saw Mata, Diego Malacad, Gamay Jereza, Noel Occena and other respondents who frequently stayed at the town Tourism Office where former Mayor Luis Mondia Jr., Evelinda Mondia, and Luis Mondia III usually stayed, and escorting Samson Mondia every time he went around Pulupandan to campaign.*GPB

back to top