By Behn Fer. Hortaleza, Jr.
Pangasinan-- The provincial police has another high profile murder in its hands-Saturday at around 9 p.m. in remote western Pangasinan town of Agno, the mayor fell dead from four assassin's bullet as he was playing a mahjong game with friends

Mayor Arthur Cabantac, 56, was killed at the house of one Cecilia Bora at Poblacion east in that town, during a mahjong game by a killer or killers who shot him at close range thru an open window, initial reports said.

None of his four companions was hurt in the volley of fire, triggering belief the killer was a marksman.

Cabantac, described by employees as a no-nonsense local executive who does not compromise with anyone in any violation of the law, was rushed by his companions to Alaminos for medical treatment but he expired along the way.

Police said his killer used an M-16 armalite rifle based on shell found at the scene

Townsfolk decried the slow response of the local police as it took them nearly an hour to get to the scene when the police station was only a short distance away in the poblacion.

Provincial Police Director Isagani Nerez immediately formed a Task Force Cabantac to go after the killer or killers. Named head of the task force was P/Supt David Rapisora

Motive for the killing was still uncertain although relatives of the slain mayor said there are no other angles but politics as they know no personal enemies of the mayor

Cabantac's death lengthens the list of local executives of Pangasinan whose violent deaths have remained only partially solve or fully unsolved., including those of San Carlos Mayor Julian Resuello, Vice Mayor Apilado of San Manuel and Vice Mayor Aquino of Mapandan, among others. (PIA-Pangasinan)