Alleged gunman in 2014 Tuguegarao councilor’s slay nabbed
TUGUEGARAO CITY—After almost eleven years since former city councilor Rosemarie “Osang” Bunagan-Bansig of this city was shot and killed, the gunman has finally resurfaced in Mandaluyong City, police said on Saturday.
The suspected gunman, identified only by the police as alias “Gabby,” 44, a native of Iguig town and resident of Santa Maria in Bulacan, had a pending arrest warrant for murder at the Regional Trial Court Branch 10 in Tuguegarao City in 2017, according to Police Brig. Gen. Antonio Marallag Jr., Cagayan Valley police director, in a press briefing Friday.
Police Col. Rodelio Samson, Philippine National Police-Region 2 deputy director for operations, said “Gabby” initially gave himself up to the Mandaluyong City police through a radio program. He was turned over to the Cagayan Valley police on Friday.
Marallag then ordered a review of pending arrest warrants against Gabby, which turned out to include one for the murder of the Tuguegarao City councilor.
Bunagan-Bansig was traveling with her driver, Elmer Narag, along Buntun-Pallua Road in this city when two motorcycle-riding men fired shots at them on Nov. 13, 2014.
Bunagan-Bansig, who was also a fish dealer, and Narag were heading to the city public market when they were attacked by the gunmen. The councilor died on the spot.
The lady councilor was a member of a political family in Tuguegarao City.
‘Real killer’ still unknown
Despite the time that has passed since Bunagan-Bansig was killed, investigators are yet to identify the mastermind.
Police have been eyeing a work-related or personal motive behind the killing but conclusive evidence has yet to be found.
The slain councilor’s husband, Col. Tim Bansig of the Philippine Army Judge Advocate General’s Office, said they went through difficulties in the process of tracking down those behind the killing.
“More than a decade since the incident, the anger in their hearts has disappeared but justice is needed,” Bansig said at the same press briefing on Friday.
He agreed with police that the arrested gunman could not be considered as the “real killer,” believing he was just a hired gun and the mastermind who ordered him to kill his wife has still to be identified.
He also called on the authorities to watch the gunman “because with his surrender comes the possibility that someone will attempt on his life so that the truth behind the crime cannot be revealed.”
