Gunmen in Ecija mayor’s slay spill beans on mastermind

The mastermind behind the killing of General Tinio, Nueva Ecija Mayor Ferdinand Bote was reportedly identified by two alleged assassins who were arrested in Camarines Sur on Wednesday.

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Oscar Albayalde said the two arrested suspects, Florencio Suarez and Robert Gumacay, also admitted that they shot Bote in Cabanatuan City on Tuesday last week.

“He (Suarez) admitted that he was among those who shot Bote, Gumacay confessed that he is the gunman,” said Albayalde.

“They admitted that they were hired. That’s why the person he mentioned, whom we cannot name right now, is a subject of our manhunt. He is now a person of interest,” he added.

Both Suarez and Gumacay were collared on board a car in a checkpoint in Del Gallego, Camarines Sur, according to Bicol regional police director Chief Supt. Abner Escobal.

Escobal said police operatives have been tailing the vehicle all the way from Central Luzon.

Bote was shot dead on board his vehicle which was leaving the Cabanatuan office of the National Irrigation Administration.

“The main motive here is business. Apparently, he had a main business competitor at the NIA, that’s the reason probably why he went to the NIA before he was shot,” said Albayalde.