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SAN MANUEL, Pangasinan: The wife of the slain
vice-mayor here confirmed that her husband already accepted with
grace his defeat in the last election when he ran for mayor that was
why he thought the threat on his life was already over.
This was disclosed by Cherry
Apilado, 27, wife of slain Vice-Mayor Bonie Apilado, 35, of San
Manuel, who told reporters during the wake of her husband at their
home in Gueset Sur, San Manuel, that Bonie received so many death
threats before, during and after the election.
Born on November 30, 1971,
Apilado served for two terms as councilor of San Manuel and was just
winding up his second term as vice mayor when he was gunned down and
killed possibly by a hired assassin and cohorts.
“Despite being handicapped
financially, he ran for mayor because he wanted to change what we
have in San Manuel, and to see to it that if he is already at the
helm, there will be progress in the town,” the widow of the
vice-mayor said amidst frequent sobs.
Cherry said that when he asked
him why he was eyeing the top when he had one more term left, Bonie
used to retort, “It’s for the people, it’s all for the
people.”
Mrs. Apilado said that despite
the threats on Bonie’s life, he did not ask for security from the
police nor adopted more precautionary measures to secure himself and
the family.
She said having lost the
mayoralty race, her husband thought that those responsible for the
threats on his life might no longer pursue their criminal design
against him.
“He already lost the election
and that was why he was so confident that nothing will happen to him
any more,” said Mrs. Apilado, mother of two kids, a boy and a
girl.
An elder brother of the vice
mayor, Bernard, 37, a farmer, believes what happened was a
continuation of violent incidents that happened before, during and
just after the election. These threats came in the form of text
messages, as confirmed by Bonie’s younger brother George Apilado,
27.
Both Bernardo and George said a
follower of the vice-mayor was killed before the election and
another, identified as Mario Aban, was killed just after the
election.
Meanwhile, Cherry noted her
husband suddenly became so sweet and gentle on the day of the
tragedy. She said when they woke up in that morning, he whispered to
her twice “I love you” which he seldom did in the past.
Later, when she left for the
market, he sent her off and told her “Wife, take care of
yourself.”
At 12 noon, Cherry sent Bonie a
short message service (SMS) or text to his cell phone inquiring from
him if he was already in Urdaneta City and he answered back
affirmatively. That was the last she heard from him.
Cherry said her husband was in
Urdaneta to oversee the putting up a billiard hall which he intended
to manage after he had stepped out as vice-mayor of San Manuel.
Since the killers of her husband
and the mastermind are still loose and unidentified, Cherry fears
for her life and that of her children.
Asked if she now plans to leave
San Manuel, Mrs. Apilado said she still could not figure out what to
do, now that her husband is dead.
“I want my husband’s killer
caught as well as the mastermind,” Cherry said.  --PNA
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