By Felipe V. Celino
ROXAS CITY, Capiz – Mayor Roberto “Nonong” Palomar of Tapaz, Capiz offered a P300,000 bounty to entice informants who can point to the suspect in the killing of the punong barangay of Roosevelt village.
Palomar also condemned the brutal killing of Punong Barangay Julie Catamin, 49, of Roosevelt, Tapaz, who was gunned down by riding-in-tandem gunmen at Barangay Malitbog, Calinog around 8:45 a.m. Sunday.
Palomar described Catamin as a dedicated public official who wanted Brgy. Roosevelt to become a peaceful place.
Catamin was recently in the spotlight for vocally denouncing the Rizal Day raids in Tapaz, Capiz.
The two-motorcycle riding suspects allegedly tailed Catamin from Barangay Malitbog Ilaya, Bingawan, Iloilo.
Sources said Catamin came from a wake at Barangay Camalongo, Calinog and decided to spend the night there. He was on his way home and had to pass by Malitbog Ilaya where the incident happened.
Witness said the gunmen repeatedly shot him as he was navigating Malitbog village.
The suspects, who were wearing crash helmets, immediately fled to Calinog town proper.
Recovered from the crime scene were four empty shells of caliber .45 ammunition.
Before his death, Catamin lamented that the bloody December 30 search operation at Tapaz was not coordinated with them. He also claimed that the persons arrested in the operation were not rebels.
Catamin asserted that he knew their constituents and most of those who were arrested were ordinary farmers and innocent elderly.
