ILOILO CITY - Former Justice Sec. Raul Gonzalez Sr. dared his accusers to face him and prove their allegations that he is part of a plot which allegedly involves his police escorts having paid members of leftist rebel group, Revolutionary Proletarian Army-Alex Boncayao Brigade (RPA-ABB) to kill Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas and his brother, Francis.
Gonzalez made the challenge after two alleged RPA-ABB members tagged three of his known allies in a plot to assassinate Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas and his brother Francis. Gonzalez is running for the Iloilo City mayoralty while his son, Raul Gonzalez Jr. is the rival of Mayor Treñas for Iloilo Congressman in the current political exercise.
Said Gonzalez, "It's very simple. Ka Nonoy and Ka Noli should face Maj. Musa Amiyong, my police escort Rolex Rufegio, and Brgy. Capt. Morit Gratis."
Amiyong, Refugio, and Gratis are the ones alleged by the two RPA-ABB members for having paid the rebel group P300,000 to kill the city mayor and his brother.
Gonzalez said he considers the statements of the two purported rebels as a "very incredible story."
He asked, "If they are, indeed, assassins, why weren't they arrested? They should have been turned over to the police.
Gonzalez also pointed out inconsistencies in the purported Treñas assassination plot.
According to Treñas, who himself gave the initial details of the plot to the media last April 21, his would-be-assassins are from Mindanao.
"That's a very clear inconsistency. Treñas said his assassins are from Mindanao. Now, it's the RPA-ABB," Gonzalez said.
Gonzalez also quoted regional police chief Supt. Isagani Cuevas who reported that there are no concrete evidence on the said assassination plot against Treñas and his brother.
The former Justice Secretary also said that he wants a "confrontation" with the Treñas camp after their fallout last year when the Iloilo City Mayor decided to run against his son and namesake for the city's lone congressional seat.
"Let's go for a confrontation to find out the truth. Let's all, including Treñas and myself, submit to a polygraph test," Gonzalez dared.
Gonzalez has also been tagged as allegedly behind such incidents in the recent past like the bombing of the mayor's bakeshop in Jaro district and the bombing of the mayor's ancestral home in Molo district.
