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SANTO DOMINGO, Nueva Ecija: Combined operatives of Bataan and Nueva
Ecija police unearthed from a 40-feet grave the bodies of a couple,
reportedly relatives of National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales,
of Balanga City over the weekend.
Supt. Benjamin Silo Jr., Balanga City police
chief, said the victims, Rolando Gonzales and his wife Imelda could
have been killed anytime from April 22 to 24 this year, after being
abducted in the vicinity of Balanga City Cathedral.
He said the suspects, live-in partners Michael
Vitug and Lexi Lei of Balanga City, Albert Tamayo and Allan Lopez of
Lubao, Pampanga were charged before the Bataan court.
Investigation disclosed the suspects were
indebted of about P1-million from the victims, who were lending
money to some store owners in Balanga City Public Market.
Pedro Gonzales, brother of Rolando and cousin of
the security adviser, expressed belief that the suspects may have
initially wanted to stop the victims from collecting the debts.
Police operatives used a back hoe to recover the
bodies from the grave, reportedly an abandoned site of failed
treasure hunting. The bodies were unclothed with Rolando tied with
packaging tape.
Rolando’s neck bore wound from bladed weapon,
investigators said.
Elements of Santo Domingo police and provincial
mobile group cooperated fully with the Balanga City police, said
Nueva Ecija police director, Senior Supt. Napoleon Taas.
Silo said that after the Scene of the Crime
operatives positively identified the bodies as those of the Gonzales
couple, the case could be considered solved.
-- Armand Galang
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