Burned bodies in car believed to be ex-lawmaker, companions
Credit to Author: Darwin Pesco| Date: Thu, 09 Jan 2020 16:14:25 +0000
TIAONG, Quezon: Three skeletal remains, burnt beyond recognition and believed to be that of a former Batangas congressman and two companions, were found inside a car on Thursday morning in Barangay San Francisco in this town.
Residents who saw a burning vehicle on a bridge past midnight alerted police.
When the fire died down after two hours, police found the burned skeletons. One of the victims was believed to be Edgar Mendoza, a former representative of Batangas’ Second District and son of former Philippine National Police chief Larry Mendoza.
The Tiaong Police chief, Maj. Lawrence Panganiban, said identification cards were found inside the Honda Civic with license plates DND 6374, identifying the former lawmaker.
Mendoza’s relatives confirmed the car belongs to him.
Quezon Police Director Col. Audie Madrideo said the Civic was the one the 60-year-old Mendoza rode when he left home with his driver Ruel Ruiz and bodyguard Nicanor Mendoza for a meeting in Calamba City, Laguna on Wednesday morning.
Madrideo said a DNA test is needed to positively identify the bodies.
“Pagdating naman natin d’un wala na talaga, tupok na, sunog na sunog ‘yung sasakyan saka talagang buto na talaga (When we arrived there, the bodies were burned, we found bones),” Panganiban said.
Malacañang on Thursday denounced as an “outrageous act of barbarism” the killing of Mendoza.
In a statement, Palace spokesman Salvador Panelo said the government would hunt down the culprits behind the killing of former congressman.
“This is an outrageous act of barbarism. The perpetrators of this heinous crime will be pursued till they are placed behind bars,” he added.
The Palace official offered condolences to the family, colleagues and constituents of the lawmaker.
With a reports from BELLY M. OTORDOZ and CATHERINE S. VALENTE