Sen. Go condemns kidnap-slay of 16yo girl in South Cotabato

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews) – Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go condemned on Thursday the abduction and brutal killing of a 16-yearold girl in Banga town, South Cotabato province.

Go called the kidnapping and slaying of Barbie Bernardino Inocencio as very disturbing and urged authorities to give immediate justice to the victim.

The senator said he personally followed the case since Barbie was found dead on Wednesday afternoon, two days after she was reported missing.

“I called up RD [Police Regional Office-12 director] Corpus while I was in Malacañang last night and offered a P100,000 reward for any information that could lead to the arrest of the suspects,” he said in an interview over Radio Mindanao Network in Koronadal City.

Barbie, a Grade 10 student of the Notre Dame of Banga, was reported missing by her mother late Monday after she failed to return home from school and eventually losing contact with her.

She was found past 2 p.m. Wednesday with her hands tied and placed on a sack in a waterway in Purok Bagong Silang, Barangay Punong Grande in Banga.

The principal suspect identified as Richard Romo Gumilid, reportedly her mother Babyn April’s boyfriend, was killed in a joint police operation in Isulan town, Sultan Kudarat early Thursday.

Go said the incident has strengthened his resolve to push for the restoration of death penalty for heinous crimes and drug-related cases.

“Dapat may balaod para maundang (There should be law to stop these crimes),” he said, adding that he already filed the proposed measure in the Senate.

He said the move is being backed by fellow

Mindanaon senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa and other colleagues in the Senate majority bloc.

Aside from Senator Go, an unnamed businessman from Koronadal City, the office of Banga Mayor Albert Palencia and the office of South Cotabato Rep. Ferdinand Hernandez offered a reward of P200,000 each for the arrest of the suspects. (MindaNews)