Gattaran town mayor (Cagayan province) Matthew Nolasco and six others were charged for murder before the Cagayan Provincial Prosecutor’s Office in Carig Sur, Tuguegarao in connection with the December 5, 2021 killing of an Abra businessman in Lal-lo town.

Nolasco with Joles Salvatierra, Mateo De Torres, both of Gattaran town; Jofel Alipio of Buguey town, and three others were pointed by witnesses killing Jefferson Torricer inside a bar in barangay Magapit, Lal-lo town.

Torricer, on vacation with his relatives in Cagayan, was reportedly shot several times by Nolasco with the aid of his cohorts at around 11 p.m., after a disagreement inside the Veranda Resto Bar in Barangay Magapit.

Cagayan police director Col. Renel Sabaldica earlier claimed Nolasco was not among those identified by witnesses as present during the murder, but witnesses prevailed in claiming they saw the town mayor as among the murderers of Torricer.

The mayor could not be reached for comment.

Nonetheless, Sabaldica assured the police “will assist for anything that demands for our services.”