3 charged over killing of Nueva Ecija guv’s aide

CABANATUAN CITY, Nueva Ecija — The police have declared as solved the killing of Mary Ann Hernandez, the administrative chief of Governor Czarina Umali, who was murdered in Talavera, this province last month.

Senior Supt. Eliseo Tanding, Nueva Ecija police director, said Wednesday charges of murder and frustrated murder have been filed against three persons who confessed to be lookouts in the killing.

They are, however, still looking for a man who contacted and paid the suspects, he added.

Anastacio Geron, 47, and his nephew, Armando Geron, 26, were arrested for illegal possession of firearms in Barangay Tondod, San Jose City on January 25.

During follow-up investigation, Tanding said, police extracted from the two suspects’ mobile phones information that linked them to the Hernandez case.

Days later, Reynaldo Iglesia, also of Barangay Tondod, San Jose City, surfaced and confessed his participation in the crime.

“We are making a ofllow-up on what they (suspects) divulged. It is an extra- judicial confession, so it would not revealed yet the names pending investigation so that we could get the one whom they said contacted and paid them (sic),” Tanding said.

Charges of murder and frustrated murder were filed against the Gerons and Iglesia before the provincial Prosecutors’ Office.

Tanding dismissed politics as motive behind the killing, saying Hernandez was never a politician.

The Special Investigation Task Group, he said, is still looking into several angles including work-related motive.

Hernandez was killed in front of her family, while fueling up her vehicle at a gasoline station shortly after they arrived from Baguio City. (Marilyn Galang/PNA)

Popular

PBBM to endorse ‘best’ candidate for 2028 presidential race

By Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos | Philippine News Agency President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Friday said he will endorse the “best” candidate in the 2028...

PBBM: Pax Silica a ‘good deal’ to attract more investments

By Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos | Philippine News Agency President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Friday described the Pax Silica initiative as a “good deal,” saying...

Palace defends P7.2T budget, urges critics to study spending plan

By Darryl John Esguerra | Philippine News Agency Malacañang on Thursday hit back at critics of the proposed P7.2-trillion 2027 national budget, telling lawmakers to...

Palace: PBBM has no personal knowledge of DPWH ‘leadership fund’

By Darryl John Esguerra | Philippine News Agency President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has no personal knowledge of the so-called “leadership fund” in the Department...