SAN ANTONIO, Nueva Ecija: The town council here has offered P500,000 reward for any information that may lead to the arrest of the perpetrator behind the killing of their fellow councilor Roberto "Amang" Salonga Carpio.

Carpio, 56, was shot dead on Thursday, February 8, after dropping his grandchild at the elementary school in Purok 8 in Barangay Sto. Cristo.

Vice Mayor Julie Maxwell, along with members of the council, on Friday allotted the amount to anyone who could come forward to provide information that will lead to the arrest of the suspects.

Col. Richard Caballero, Nueva Ecija provincial director, has created the Special Investigation Task Force to investigate the killing and resolve the case.

Town Mayor Arvin Salonga said in a video interview at the Nueva Ecija Chronicle that he was saddened by the death of Carpio, whom he treated as his relative.

The mayor said he is appealing to the public to come forward and assuring that those who would provide information will be given protection.

Maj. Rommel Nabong, the town chief of police, told The Manila Times that Carpio had received a series of death threats before he was killed.

Nabong said they are looking at several possible angles, including his alleged assistance to his constituents involved in a land dispute and a love triangle. He discounted the angle of politics.

Carpio left six children with his first wife, and his current live-in partner said in her affidavit that he (Carpio) had several death threats several years ago.