The widow of slain vice mayor Alexander Lubigan of Trece Martires in Cavite asked the Department of Justice to prosecute the murder charges filed against City Mayor Melandres de Sagun and four others.
During the continuation of preliminary investigation hearing on Monday, Gemma Lubigan submitted her reply-affidavit and reiterated her allegation that the mayor was behind the killing of her husband last July 8 in conspiracy with Councilor Lawrence Arca of Maragondon, Cavite, a certain Rhonel Bersamina, Luis Abad Jr. and alleged gunman Fletchetro Paiton.
Lubigan pleaded the panel chaired by Senior Deputy State Prosecutor Rassendell Rex Gingoyon to reject the defense submitted by the respondents in their respective counter-affidavits and instead indict them before the court for murder.
“The respondents’ counter-affidavits do not deserve even a scant consideration from this Honorable office for bearing nothing more but self-serving claims, bare denials and outrageous lies,” the widow said in her 13-page pleading.
The widow insisted that Mayor de Sagun and the other respondents failed to disprove their alleged involvement in ambush on the vice mayor and his driver Romulo Guillemer, who survived the attack.
“Despite the opportunity given, the Respondents failed to offer any credible evidence in order to disprove and defeat the existence of probable cause for the crime of murder and frustrated murder against them,” she said.
Lubigan also debunked the counter-allegation of the mayor that the killing could be a case of parricide and was staged to destroy the reputation of De Sagun’s family.
The mayor’s father Melancio, a former mayor, will run for mayor against the complainant in next year’s elections.
“Lastly, the killing of Vice Mayor Alexander Lubigan and Mr. Romulo Guillemer cannot be deemed parricide or infanticide. The insinuation that I was responsible for my husband’s death is laughable at best,” she said.
De Sagun has earlier denied involvement in the killing of his vice mayor.
In his counter-affidavit, the mayor sought the dismissal of the charges filed against him for lack of merit.
Now on his third term, he said he had no motive to kill Lubigan since he was not running for any position in next year’s elections.
Lubigan was in a Toyota Hilux driven by Guilemer with his bodyguard Romeo Edrinal when they were ambushed along the Trece Martires-Indang road. Edrinal survived the attack.
Prior to the killing, Lubigan reportedly announced his intention to run for mayor in next year’s elections.