Legazpi mayor: Murders of local execs destabilization move vs Duterte
LEGAZPI CITY — Following the recent murders of local executives, Bicol Regional Peace and Order Council Chairman and Legazpi City Mayor Noel Rosal reminded elected officials to be more vigilant. He also warned that political opponents may take advantage of the situation to destabilize the government.
“I strongly condemn it (killings). Maybe the incident somehow is being taken advantaged [of] by rivals in politics,” he said adding that is a destabilization move against the President and to put him in a bad light.
Last week, Tanauan City Mayor Antonio Halili, General Tinio Mayor Ferdinand Bote. Trece Martirez City Vice Mayor Alex Lubigan, and Sapa-Sapa, Tawi-Tawi Vice Mayor Al Rashid Mohammad Ali were all gunned down in broad daylight.
Rosal stressed that the start of the midterm election is fast approaching — the filing of candidacy will start in October.
“We really have to strengthen intelligence in our localities and of course our politicians should really study their situation because safety is the utmost concern right now,” he said.
Asked to comment on the need for more security personnel to protect politicians he said “it’s [a] case-to-case basis, may mga trabaho ang police (the police have work).”
Rosal is confident that authorities are working hard to put behind bars the masterminds behind killings.
On Wednesday morning, the suspects in the killing Bote — Florencio Suarez, 48, and Robert Gumacay, 35 — were arrested by the police in Del Gallego town, Camarines Sur. The police flagged down their car in a checkpoint along the national highway in Barangay Cabasag. /ee
