CIDG looking into Traffic altercation or political squabble as motive on the ambush which victimized the governor and his driver

Miami
September 8, 2008
Story: CIDG looking into Traffic altercation or political squabble as motive on the ambush which victimized the governor and his driver

The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) of the National Capital Region is looking to the angle of traffic altercation or political fights as possible motive behind the ambush of Batanes Governor and his driver last September 3, 2008.

The incident transpired at around 3:25 am about 30 meters away from Merville Exit (part of Pasay) along SLEX. The victims were identified as Batanes Governor Telesforo Castillejos, 61, and his driver Alberto Fatimo.

CIDG-NCR Chief Sr. Supt. Ericson Velasquez said that they are still having difficulty in figuring out who are the responsible because they have no suspects till now.

“On personal angle, we still do not have any information that would lead to the possible attacked against the governor. What we are looking now is his work as government official,” Velasquez said.

But, Velasquez said they are also thinking of traffic altercations as the motive behind the incident. He said that he already talked to the driver, “the driver said that the SUV following them used its blinker lights to them, what he did he gave way to the said vehicle unknowingly that the will be shot.”

He added that if this is only traffic altercation the suspects on that SUV might be drunk and speeding and got irritated on the Mitsubshi Pajero in front of them which was being boarded by the victims.

If it is a political angle, “we have to check his life as a government official in Batanes, as far as we know also a former Governor Vicente Gato has filed case against him, so we will check if this has link or none.”

Velasquez also added that they are also taking into consideration that the real target is the driver alone because of the shots that he sustained.

“We are also investigating if in this incident, the driver is the only target, and since Castillejos was inside their vehicle he was accidentally hit. But unfortunately we cannot get any clear statement from him because he is having difficulty in talking.”