Scion of prominent family in Leyte faces trial for slay of town administrator
TACLOBAN CITY – The erstwhile fugitive alleged mastermind behind the killing of a former municipal administrator of San Isidro town in Leyte in 2019 will face trial in court following his arrest by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in Eastern Visayas.
Emmanuel Veloso, who was accused of allegedly orchestrating the murder of Levi Mabini in 2019, was arrested by agents of the NBI in Barangay Linao of San Isidro on Aug. 7, where he was finally located after hiding for years since he was linked to the crime, according to Jess Gadaingan, NBI-Eastern Samar officer in charge.
The arrest warrant of Veloso was issued by the Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 85 in Quezon City on April 2, 2024.
The murder case against Veloso was initially filed at the RTC Branch 11 in Calubian town of Leyte but the Supreme Court ordered its transfer to Quezon City upon the request of Mabini’s family for security purposes.
The case stemmed from the charges filed on March 21,2023 by the Criminal Investigation and Detective Group which conducted an investigation into the killing of Mabini and pinpointed to Veloso as the alleged mastermind.
Mabini, 44, was killed after unidentified assailants strafed the house of then San Isidro Mayor Susan Ang in Barangay Capiñahan of the town past 7:30 a.m. on May 8, 2019.
Mabini had just arrived at the mayor’s house when the assailants on board a gray Ford Ranger opened fire at the mayor’s home. He sustained gunshot wounds on his back and left foot.
Politics
Veloso belongs to a prominent political family in Leyte’s third district and the brother of incumbent San Isidro Mayor Remedio Veloso.
His sister Juanita was ambushed and killed inside her car while on her way home to San Isidro on Dec. 21, 2023.
Mayor Veloso, who visited the NBI regional office here after his brother’s arrest last Wednesday, has declined to issue a statement regarding the case.
Emmanuel was flown to Metro Manila on Friday afternoon and brought to the Quezon City RTC for the return of the arrest warrant.
The local chief executive earlier claimed that the charges filed against his brother and the killing of their sister were both politically motivated.
