The Mindanao Examiner Regional Newspaper
Spate of killings alarm human rights groups
EBU – Various human rights groups have asked the Philippines’ Commission on Human Rights and the United Nations Human Rights Council to look into the spate of alleged extrajudicial killings in Cebu following the recent murder of a town mayor who was shot inside his office.
Mayor Mariano of his police supervision in Blanco, of Ronda town, his town. who was linked by No individual or group President Rodrigo Duterte claimed responsibility for to illegal drug trade, was the murder. Police said it is killed before dawn of still investigating the killing. September 5 by gunmen Since early this year, there who barged inside his had been over a hundred office. Blanco was sleeping killings - mostly perpetrated in the office when the by motorcycle gunmen already assailants arrived in a van in Cebu. and attacked him.the Even Cebu Archbishop gunmen immediately Jose Palma has appealed for escaped after murdering an end to the culture of Blanco. Prior to his killing, impunity in the province Blanco, who previously and called on the authorities denied all accusations to seriously address the against him by Duterte, series of killings.in February was also stripped last year this year, the town’s vice mayor, Jonah John Ungab, who was Blanco’s nephew, was also shot dead. Ungab, who was a lawyer and legal counsel of self-confessed drug lord Kerwin Espinosa, was driving his car when killed by motorcycle gunmen. Espino’s father, Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr, of Leyte’s Albuera town, tagged by Duterte as a drug lord - was also killed by policemen inside his prison cell.a report by ABS-CBN, said Blanco was the 16th elected official killed under the Duterte administration.
It identified the others as: Vice Mayor Aaron Sampaga of Pamplona town, Cagayan - August 5, 2016; Mayor Samsudin Dimaukom of Datu Saudi Ampatuan town, Maguindanao - October 28, 2016; Mayor Rolando Espinosa of Albuera town, Leyte - November 5, 2016; Vice Mayor Anwar Sindatuk of Datu Saudi-ampatuan town, Maguindanao November 27, 2016; Mayor Mohammad Limbona of Pantar town, Lanao del Norte - December 30, 2016; Mayor Arsenio Agustin of Marcos town, Ilocos Norte - June 3, 2017; Mayor Joven Hidalgo of Balete town, Batangas - June 10, 2017. And also Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog of Ozamiz City, Misamis Occidental - July 30, 2017; Vice Mayor Jackson Dy of Roxas town, Oriental Mindoro September 23, 2017; Vice Mayor Jonah John Ungab of Ronda town, Cebu February 19, 2018; Mayor Ronald Tirol of Buenavista town, Bohol - May 27, 2018; Mayor Antonio Halili of Tanauan City, Batangas July 2, 2018; Mayor Ferdinand Bote of General Tinio town, Nueva Ecija - July 3, 2018; Vice Mayor Alex Lubigan of Trece Martires town, Cavite July 7, 2018; and Vice Mayor Al-rashid Mohammad Ali of Sapasapa town, Tawi-tawi July 11, 2018.