Anti-political dynasty advocate shot to death

MANILA, PHILIPPINES – Anti-political dynasty advocate Quintin “Ting” Paredes San Diego was shot to death in his resort in Dingalan, Aurora on Saturday.

ASEAN JC incoming president Rey Bautista said in a text message that Quintin “Ting” Paredes, past Prime Minister of Quezon City Capitol JCI Senate, current chairman of the Movement Against Dynasty, Adopted Igorot son of Sagada, prime mover of peace zones, passed away.

Senatorial candidate and San Diego’s co-petitioner in the Supreme Court case against the controversial PDAF and DAP Greco Belgica, said they would not stop until justice will prevail.

Around 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, two unidentified assailants inside Maligaya Resort in Barangay Caragsacan shot San Diego four times in the head. The gunman used a 9mm pistol and fled on a motorcycle after the murder.

Bautista related the motive of the crime to NPAs trying yo extort money from San Diego, and requiring him to pay revolutionary taxes for owning and operating an agricultural farm in Bonbon, Nueva Ecija.

Police told that the incident happened during San Diego’s meeting with his workers and was walking back to his cottage.

Another possible angle of the crime motive was San Diego’s anti-corruption advocacy. However, the investigators are still getting the statements of the people in the resort who could describe the assailants.

San Diego formally formed and registered the Movement Against Dynasty (MAD) in April 2013 in Baguio City. From then on, he had been courting legislators to pass the proposed law that prohibits political dynasty in the country.

Diego Magpantay of the Citizens Crime Watch (CCW) said they have several leads but declined to provide details and they are still looking for political possibilities behind slaying San Diego.

Being serious in his advocacy, San Diego applied for the accreditation of MAD as a partylist joining the congress to push for a bill but unfortunately, the Comelec disapproved the petition.