Gunman in murder of Ecija school principal arrested

CABANATUAN CITY, Nueva Ecija–The lone gunman in the cold-blooded, broad daylight killing of a sexagenarian school principal shortly before Christmas last year was arrested by police in Zaragoza, Nueva Ecija, the Philippine National Police said yesterday. 

Senior Superintendent Walter Castillejos, PNP provincial director, identified the suspect as Henry Talplacido of Zaragoza.

Talplacido was arrested by operatives of the nearby Aliaga police along Del Pilar St., Barangay Sta. Lucia, Zaragoza.

 Castillejos said Talplacido was the one who shot Nila Mactal, school principal of the Zaragoza National High School inside her residential compound in Barangay Poblacion Centro, Aliaga at around 10:30 am last December 22.

Mactal, 62, was sweeping dried leaves inside the compound when  the gunman barged inside and fired at her from point-blank range, hitting her repeatedly.       The suspect, dressed in black shirt and pants and wearing smoked glass, fled aboard a black/orange motorcycle.

       

   Mactal sustained several gunshot wounds and was rushed to the Nueva Ecija Doctors Hospital in this city but died while on the operating table.

       

   Chief Inspector Roberto Sena, Aliaga police chief, said Talplacido matched the description of witnesses. Earlier, the gunman was described as between 5’7 to 5’9 in height, medium-built and fair-complexioned.  

Sena said Talplacido was a member of a gun-for-hire group hired by someone to kill Mactal. He said the motive for the killing was an old grudge.

       

   Sena said prior to the killing, Mactal reportedly told her family that she has been receiving death threats and that if something happened to her, this would be the handiwork of a certain Peter Palapal, chief security of the ZNHS with whom Mactal figured in a heated argument.  

Sena said they are still gathering evidence against Palapal preparatory to the filing of charges in relation to the murder of Mactal. (Manny Galvez)