URDANETA CITY, Pangasinan – A pastor, who was held over the death of a mother and daughter in this city last Sunday, was released on Tuesday after 36 hours in police custody.
No criminal case was filed against Benjamin Mangalonzo, 62, a pastor of Grace Full Gospel Manila, as investigators found no evidence yet to link him to the ambush-slaying of Francisca Menesis Peralta, 86; and her daughter, Demetria, 49, police said.
Francisca and Demetria, residents of Barangay Patayac, Sta. Barbara, this province, were killed in an ambush while in the company of the pastor on Easter Sunday in Barangay Nancayasan here.
Investigators said Mangalonzo was held by police after he gave inconsistent statements about the killing of the mother and daughter.
According to police probers, the pastor and Demetria were close friends.
Initial police report said the two victims and the pastor were all riding a black Mitsubishi Montero SUV along the diversion road in Barangay Nancayasan at about 9 p.m. when four unidentified armed men on two motorcycles cut their path and opened fire at them.
The mother and daughter sustained bullet wounds and were declared dead on arrival at the Urdaneta District Hospital in Barangay Dilan-paurido here.
Mangalonzo survived the attack unscathed. The pastor was interrogated by police but proved that the mother and daughter were indeed killed by the gunmen.
“Hindi naman siya pinatay (ng gunmen) dahil nagpakilala siyang pastor,” according to Police SSg Darwin Cacho, investigator on case.
He denied his involvement in the victims’ death. Cacho said the pastor also underwent a paraffin test and it yielded negative result.
Meanwhile, the victims family did not believed the version of the pastor and is mulling to file appropriate charges against him, according to investigator. (Liezle Basa Inigo)
