In a statement issued Tuesday, San Jorge, Samar Mayor Joseph Grey
refuted the claim of his son, Francis, who pointed to Calbayog Mayor Ronaldo Aquino
and retired army official Emil Zosa as masterminds of the killing of a village
chief two years ago.
Authorities arrested the mayor’s son on Dec. 7 at the suspect’s
hideout in Balihai Subdivision in Imus, Cavite. In a media interview upon his
arrival in this city on Dec. 14, Francis named the re-electionist mayor of
Calbayog and the Samar gubernatorial bet as behind the murder.
The younger Grey admitted that he killed Romulo Barcoma, a village
chief of Sapinet in San Jorge town acting on orders of the two politicians.
“I don’t know what happened to my son, but I want to clear this.
Zosa and Aquino were not involved in that murder case. The confessions were
extracted under duress,” the mayor said.
“The three of us are friends and we belong to the same party.
These people behind all of this is doing everything for us to fight and lost
each other’s trust.”
Francis’ statements were already contained in an extra judicial
confession subscribed and sworn to before a lawyer in Quezon City.
In a press briefing Wednesday afternoon, Aquino denied all
accusations hurled against their group since they are peace-loving officials.
"This is politically-motivated. The truth is that village
officials who are supportive to us have been harassed by our opponents,"
Aquino said.
Samar Governor Sharee Ann Tan said they are not involved in the
arrest of Samar’s most wanted person.
“I watched the interview with Francis Grey as posted on social
media. The process was an entire police operations and since there was a crime
committed, someone has to be answerable. We never had a chance to talk to the
suspect,” Tan told reporters on Tuesday.
She said it is always possible that their political opponents may
run a propaganda, to appear that their family is behind these smear campaign considering
that the officials and personalities mentioned by Francis are their political
opponents in the past elections.
“I am calling for my party mates and my political opponents to
aspire for a peaceful election, to campaign hard and not to resort to violence.
Let the people decide as to whom they want to vote and whom they want serve,”
said Tan, who is seeking to represent Samar’s 2nd district in Congress.
The governor’s mother, Milagrosa, the incumbent representative,
will run for governor, the post she held for nine years until 2010 with Zosa,
who ran and lost in the previous election against Sharee Ann. He is the husband
of Santa Margarita town Mayor Gemma Zosa.
Aquino’s reelection bid is challenged by former Calbayog Councilor
Raymun Uy, an ally of Tan’s political clan. (LAAA/JSA/PNA)
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