A 62-year-old political propagandist in Cagayan de Oro City has been shot dead by unidentified assassins near his house at Sitio Macanhan in Barangay Carmen this morning.
Police Maj. Mario Mantala, Carmen police station chief, identified the victim as Federico ‘Ding’ Gempesaw who resided in Zone 9 of the said place.
Gempesaw succumbed to two gunshot wounds to his head and nape from a .45 caliber pistol that resulted in his instantaneous death.
Mantala said Gempesaw had just alighted from the taxi he was driving when suddenly he was approached by one of the suspects from behind.
“Matud pa sa nakakita sa maong hitabo aduna pa kuno’y panaglalis ug naglayog dayon ang duruha. Dinhing dapita mikuha ang suspek sa iyang armas ug mipusil sa biktima sa makaduha,” Mantala told reporters.
Cagayan de Oro City Police Office Deputy Director for Administration Surki Sereñas, who confirmed the shooting incident and the identity of the victim in a cyber interview this morning to Gold Star Daily, called on the community and the “cooperation of the witnesses to help bring these criminals to the bar of the law.”
“This morning our City Director, Police Col. (Aaron) Mandia activated a special investigation tasked group who will be working on the solution of this case. With our investigative and intelligence operation efforts focused on this specific case, rest assured justice will be served,” Sereñas said.
According to the owner of a sari-sari store in close proximity to the crime scene, she heard one shot, followed by successive two shots but was unable to see the actual shooting.
Her husband, who managed to peek outside, said he saw someone calmly walk away from the body and rode a waiting motorcycle, and sped away in the direction of Acacia street. He was unable to give any description of the appearance of the shooter.
Police described the gunman as wearing a ballcap and black short pants. While the driver was wearing a black jacket.
Gempesao was well known political propagandist of the late former Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Vicente ‘Dongkoy’ Emano. During the Emano administration, Gempesaw was appointed to several positions at the City Hall.
He was the city administrator for a short time despite his questionable qualifications for the said position. He was then assigned as head of the Cagayan Economic Enterprise Department.
According to Jinky Rosit, Capitol’s Provincial Information Officer said that Padayon Pilipino’s party secretary Criselda Joson told her Gempesaw served as spokesman of the late Vicente Emano, the founder of the party.
“Hangtod karon sa party (currently under the watch of Congressman-elect Vincente Yevgeny Emano) pero dili sya official sa party,” Joson told Gold Star Daily.
After the recent general elections, Gempesaw went back to being a block-time radio commentator at Radio Nation FM station.
Mantala said they will conduct a thorough investigation to identify the perpetrators and the possible motive of the killing.
He said a hot pursuit operation is ongoing based on the description of the suspects given to them by several witnesses in the area. (With reports from Pat Jared V. Pangantihon and Shiela Mae Butlig)
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