‘WE WERE PAID TO KILL ROJAS’

September 5, 2008 in Iloilo news | Tags: Ajuy, dela Paz, Dennis Cartagena, Edgar Cordero,
Iloilo, IPPO, Ramon Rojas slay case, Vicente "Etik" Espinosa

Cartagena reveals all in 6-page affidavit

By Francis Allan L. Angelo

“JUSTICE is all I want.”

With these words, Dennis “Totong” Cartagena, one of the suspects in the murder of Ajuy vice
mayor Ramon Rojas, spilled everything he knew about the case.

Around 8pm Thursday, Cartagena swore by his extrajudicial confession before Iloilo prosecutor
Nora Causing-Española.

It took Cartagena more or less seven hours to narrate the conspiracy leading to Rojas‟s
assassination in the morning of May 22, 2008 at Brgy. Central, Ajuy.

Chief Insp. Aaron Lirazan, Police Regional Office (PRO-6) legal officer, queried Cartagena who
was assisted by his counsel Jose Edmund Guillen, assistant regional director of the Public
Attorneys Office.

The deposition was conducted in the conference room of the Provincial Legal Office at the Iloilo
provincial capitol.
“I feel relieved. I know I will not live long, although I‟m not hoping for it, but I revealed the
truth to bring justice to vice mayor Rojas‟s death. With this, I hope that the people of Ajuy will
be kinder to me despite what we did,” Cartagena said.

Cartagena was tagged as the driver of the black motorcycle used in Rojas‟ assassination.
Suspected robber Edgar Cordero, who died in a shooting incident in Butuan City last week, was
the alleged triggerman.

Cartagena said the case could have reached a dead end if not for what happened in Butuan City.

“We dug this hole and covered it. But somebody else opened the hole again. Now, there is no
stopping the stench from going out,” he added before lawyers, mediamen and armed police
officers.

In his 6-page affidavit written in Hiligaynon, Cartagena said they shot Rojas to death “because
we were paid by Vicente „Etik‟ Espinosa alias „Bulldog‟ of Brgy. Lanjagan, Ajuy, Iloilo.”

Cartagena said he was a former bodyguard of Espinosa from April to May 2007 elections along
with Rey Peña, Lindsey Buenavista and a certain Rey.

Right after the May 2007 elections, Cartagena said Espinosa has been plotting to kill Rojas.

Aside from the vice mayor, the assassination plot also included provincial board member Jett
Rojas, Ajuy Mayor Juancho Alvarez, Councilors Pepe Dumayao and Pepe Baterna and Punong
Barangay Ronnie “Calis” Bañas.

The plot was finalized April 2008 when Buenavista presented Cartagena to Espinosa at the
latter‟s house in Brgy. Lanjagan.

“We met Vicente „Etik‟ Espinosa and told me and Buenavista that we will kill vice mayor
Ramon Rojas and he gave us P8,000 for our allowance and surveillance expenses,” Cartagena
said.

For several days, Cartagena and Cordero monitored Rojas‟s movements using a black Honda
XRM motorcycle owned by a certain Pastor Condino of Banate, Iloilo.

The hit happened around 5:30am of May 22 while Rojas was jogging on the highway at Brgy.
Central.

“When we reached Sitio Casamata which is sparsely populated, we drove near vice mayor Rojas
and Edgar Cordero quickly shot him twice. Cordero then alighted from the motorcycle then
chased and shot Rojas who was running towards the mahogany plantation. Then I saw Rojas fall
to the ground but Cordero went near and repeatedly shot him,” Cartagena said.
The duo then fled to Brgy. Badiangan, Ajuy where they left the motorcycle and proceeded to
Buenavista‟s house at Brgy. San Fernando, Barotac Viejo. They later learned from the radio that
Rojas was dead.

The following day, May 23 at around 7am, Buenavista brought Cartagena and Cordero to
Espinosa‟s house at Ledesco Village, LaPaz, Iloilo to get P50,000.

Cartagena said Buenavista received the money from Espinosa before going to the Muelle Loney
port to buy ship tickets to Bacolod City. But when they arrived at the pier, Espinosa‟s driver
identified only as Pakit handed the tickets to Buenavista.

Pakit then invited them to his house where Espinosa called Buenavista‟s cellphone informing
them that another P100,000 will be given to them. They returned to Espinosa‟s house with
Buenavista receiving the money.

Pakit then brought the trio back to the Muelle Loney port where they divided the P100,000 cash.
Cartagena said he only got P30,000.

From Iloilo, they proceeded to Bacolod City where they rode a bus bound for Cebu. From Cebu,
they boarded a Cokaliong ship to Surigao City.

Buenavista then brought Cartagena and Cordero to his uncle Joe Bahadi in Dinagat Island before
returning to Iloilo.

Bahadi brought the two suspects to Butuan City where Cordero was shot dead allegedly by
Buenavista.

The legal counsels of Espinosa declined to issue comment on Cartagena‟s revelations saying
they will wait for an official copy of the affidavit.

Cartagena is now in the custody of the Iloilo Provincial Police Office (IPPO) in an undisclosed
safehouse along with his live-in-partner and their 1-month-old baby.

IPPO director Ricardo dela Paz said they are trying to figure out security arrangements for
Cartagena and his family.

Dela Paz also assured that Ajuy will remain peaceful despite the statements of Cartagena.

“We will not allow violence to reign over the town,” he said.