KILLINGS OF LGU CHIEFS PROBED

The National Investigation Task Group will monitor and facilitate national level coordination of all investigative efforts by different PNP units, offices and Special Investigation Task Groups involved in looking into the killings of local government officials

In a related development, PNP Chief Oscar Albayalde says the recent spate of killings in Cebu has nothing to do with new police officials being assigned in the province, contrary to the statement of Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña

MANILA--Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Oscar Albayalde has ordered the creation of a National Investigation Task Group (NITG) to monitor the investigation on the spate of killings involving local chief executives.

In a press conference in Camp Crame yesterday, Albayalde said the NITG will be headed by Police Director Elmo Francis Sarona, PNP Director for Investigation and Detective Management.

He said the NITG will closely monitor and facilitate national level coordination of all investigative efforts by different PNP units, offices and Special Investigation Task Groups (SITGs) involved in the investigation of the killings of local government officials.

The priority concerns of the group are the recent deaths of Ronda, Cebu Mayor Mariano Blanco III and Vice Mayor John Ungab; Tanauan City, Batangas Mayor Antonio Halili; General Tinio, Nueva Ecija Mayor Ferdinand Bote; and Trece Martires City, Cavite Vice Mayor Alex Lubigan.

Ungab, who was also a lawyer, was shot dead on Feb. 19 after attending a court hearing at the North Reclamation Area in Cebu City.

Halili, of Tanauan City, Batangas, was shot dead while singing the national anthem during a flag ceremony at the City Hall on July 2. He was killed by a single bullet that pierced his heart.

On July 3, Bote was gunned down by three unidentified gunmen in front of the National Irrigation Administration office in Cabanatuan City.

Police have arrested two suspects in Bote’s killing, while another surrendered. Two others, including the alleged mastermind, remain at large.

On July 7, three days after he announced to his private circle his intention to run as mayor of Trece Martires City in Cavite, Lubigan and his driver were killed in an ambush.

On Sept. 5, Blanco, Ungab’s uncle, was murdered inside the Ronda municipal hall.

“The SITG investigating the murder of Mayor Blanco is closely looking into politics as possible motive for the murder. Although other possibilities are also being carefully looked into as suggested by strong leads and significant findings,” said Albayalde.

Looking for witnesses

Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 Director Debold Sinas has ordered the Ronda Police Station to locate the two job-order watchmen of Blanco.

Sinas said the two watchmen are vital witnesses who can help identify the four gunmen who barged into Blanco’s office and shot the mayor around 1 a.m. last Sept. 5.

The watchmen could no longer be located by investigators and local officials who want to interview them.

Last Wednesday, past 1 a.m., the four armed men aimed their long firearms at the watchmen outside the legislative building before attacking Blanco, who succumbed to multiple gunshot wounds in the body.

Cebu Provincial Police Office Director Manuel Abrugena said the SITG has identified “persons of interest” who may have knowledge of Blanco’s murder.

The possible motives behind the attack are personal grudge, politics, Blanco’s alleged involvement in illegal drugs and his supposed connections to persons with questionable character.

Abrugena, in an earlier report, said they are also looking into the murder of Ronda Vice Mayor Ungab, who was attacked by riding-in-tandem assailants after attending a court hearing of self-confessed Eastern Visayas drug lord Kerwin Espinosa in Cebu City last February. He was one of Espinosa’s legal counsels.

The police official said someone heard the victims’ relative say that the attack on the mayor would not have happened if Ungab had not been murdered.

Days after Ungab was ambushed, his brother Jonald asked authorities to check politics as a motive of the killing.

Jonald said that time that a sus- pension order was set to be served against Blanco, which would then make Ungab the mayor. He did not elaborate.

Cebu’s drug problem

Blanco denied having anything to do with Ungab’s ambush, saying he was fond of his nephew and he was the one who groomed the lawyer for politics.

Blanco and Halili were both stripped of police powers by the Department of the Interior and Local Government due to their alleged involvement in the illegal drug trade. They were both included in President Rodrigo Duterte’s list of politicians involved in illegal drugs.

As to Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña’s statement that the number of killings in Cebu has increased since new police officials were assigned in the province, Albayalde said it has no connection at all.

“Lumaki ‘yung drug problem sa Cebu because nasanay sila ng walang gumagalaw sa mga bigtime drug pushers doon (The drug problem in Cebu worsened because big-time drug pushers were used to being left alone),” Albayalde said.

“Remember, Cebu is one of the problematic cities when it comes to illegal drugs. That cannot be denied… So probably now, the police there are going after drug personalities and because there is a standing order, this is the focus of the Duterte administration’s war on drugs. Actually, it’s not only happening in Cebu, it’s all over,” he said in Tagalog.

Sinas was assigned as PRO 7 director last June. /