Politics, drugs eyed in murder of brgy execs in North Cotabato

CARMEN, North Cotabato (PNA) — Police are looking at illegal drug personalities and politics to be behind Tuesday’s murder of a barangay chairman and a tanod here.

Supt. Bernard Tayong, spokesperson for North Cotabato police provincial office, said the murder of Barangay Tonganon Chairman Joaquin Sardon Segumban, 56, and one of his tanods Joey Gamotia Gamarchia, 57, could be related to the official’s active participation in the government’s campaign against illegal drugs.

Tayong said Sr. Supt. Maximo Layugan, acting North Cotabato police director, has already ordered Chief Insp. Julius Malcontento, Carmen town police chief, to dig deeper into the case.

“Sr. Supt. Layugan wanted to establish the motive and the personalities behind the murder of Segumban, so safety measures can be applied to protect local officials,” Tayong said.

Malcontento said the killing of Segumban and Gamarchia happened in Sitio Galay, Barangay Kibayao.

Two men standing on the roadside, armed with .45-caliber pistols, as the victims’ vehicle slowed down in the village center. The killers fled on board a motorbike parked nearby following the incident.

Before the twin murder, Segumban had been receiving death threats, but ignored it, saying he had no known enemies.

Tayong said another angle the police investigators were looking into was politics since barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections are fast approaching.

“We are looking at all angles,” Tayong said.