Ex-Leyte congressman tagged in 2016 barangay councilor’s killing

Scene during the filing of a murder complaint against former 3rd District Rep. Vicente “Ching” Veloso at DOJ Manila. /Contributed

LAPU-LAPU CITY, Cebu-A former congressman in the 3rd district of Leyte has been named as the mastermind behind the killing of the late Malawaan Barangay Councilor Anthony Sevilla Nuñez in Tabango, Leyte, in 2016.

This development came after the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Major Crime Investigation Unit reopened the case and filed a formal complaint against Vicente “Ching” Veloso III, former 3rd district representative of Leyte, who is alleged to have masterminded the crime.

The killing was reportedly carried out by other respondents in the case, namely Nicolas Banez, alias “Butoy,” William Louse Laguindo, Richan Dejon Pernis, alias “Pernis Rexon,” Edwin Commendador, and Edwin Mulle.

The case was refiled on January 22, 2025, by the CIDG after two of the accused, Pernis and Laguindo, provided extra-judicial confessions, and an eyewitness surfaced to positively identify Banez as the gunman who shot the late barangay councilor.

Nuñez was known to be a supporter of Veloso’s political rivals.

Based on the CIDG’s investigation, Pernis, 44, a former member of the NPA and a resident of Barangay Ugbon, Leyte, narrated that he decided to cooperate with the investigation after receiving death threats. Pernis also has a pending warrant of arrest for another murder case.

He revealed that he was initially persuaded by Banez, his former platoon commander in the NPA, to work on Veloso’s farm in Sitio Busay, Brgy. Guinsiaman, San Miguel, Leyte.

Pernis added that Banez informed him that Veloso had ordered them to carry out the assassination of his political rivals, including Nuñez. They were allegedly given P2,000 for expenses in addition to a monthly allowance of P5,000.

According to Pernis, Banez, along with the other respondents, executed the assassination at the cockfighting arena in Brgy. Manlawan, Tabango, Leyte, killing the late barangay councilor.

Pernis also stated that he participated in other operations led by Veloso’s group from 2016 until 2019.

However, in 2020, Pernis said he was forced to leave the group after Banez warned him that Veloso wanted him eliminated as well. This prompted Pernis to voluntarily surrender and cooperate with the investigation in December 2024.

The case was initially filed in 2016 but was dismissed due to insufficient evidence.

In addition to Pernis, Laguindo, 39, who is currently detained at the Biliran BJMP for a separate murder case, also volunteered to provide a statement regarding the circumstances of Nuñez’s killing. Laguindo likewise positively identified Banez as the gunman.

Meanwhile, respondents Commendador and Mulle were allegedly involved in planning the killing.

Veloso, in an earlier statement, denied the allegations and claimed that the testimonies were fabricated and paid for to implicate him as the mastermind behind Nuñez’s killing.

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