Election eve killings in Central Visayas probed
ON WATCH A team of policemen monitors election-related reports in Central Visayas region at the Regional Election Monitoring Action Center in Cebu City to ensure the peaceful and orderly conduct of elections on Monday. —NESTLE SEMILLA
CEBU CITY, Cebu, Philippines — Police have launched separate investigations into the killings of a village councilor in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu province, and a teacher in Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental province, on Sunday, the eve of this year’s national elections.
Lapu-Lapu City Rep. Paz Radaza has offered P300,000 for anyone who would provide any information that would lead to the identity and arrest of the gunman and mastermind in the killing of Jose “Sadam” Quiros, her supporter and village councilor of Barangay Tungasan on Olango Island. Quiros was gunned down past 8 p.m. on May 8.
The Department of Education (DepEd), on the other hand, condemned the killing of Mercy Besa Miguel of Barangay Caradioan, Himamaylan, who was shot dead at 8:30 p.m. on the same day.
“We call on the local authorities in Negros Occidental to deliver swift justice for such heinous crime,” the DepEd said in a statement.
Police Brig. Gen. Roque Eduardo Vega, director of the Central Visayas police, said the shooting incident on Olango Island in Lapu-Lapu City could not be considered election-related.
“We found out that the victim was killed due to [a] personal grudge,” he said, without elaborating pending the conduct of an investigation.
Condemnation
Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan condemned the killing and called on the police to immediately solve the crime.
“As the city mayor, I cannot let this incident pass without taking action for the swift resolution of this case. I call on our Philippine National Police to quickly solve this matter. If it warrants, I call for the creation of a special task force for the PNP to solve this wanton disregard of life,” he said.
Chan also promised to give a reward to those who could give information that would lead to the resolution of the case.
In Negros Occidental, Miguel was attacked while she and her husband were on their way home on a motorcycle and forced to stop in Barangay Caradioan so they could remove huge rocks that blocked a village road on Sunday night.
Himamaylan Mayor Raymund Tongson condemned the killing and ordered the police to exhaust all efforts to arrest the killers.
“We ask all individuals or groups on social media to stop linking the incident to politics out of respect for the Besa and Miguel families who are facing a sad tragedy,” he said.
Police, however, had yet to make public the motive in the killing of Miguel.
One of the gunmen, who was hiding in a grassy area beside the road, shot the teacher, hitting her near the abdomen, police said.
She died while being taken to Valeriano M. Gatuslao Memorial District Hospital in Himamaylan.
In a statement, the DepEd condemned the killing although it was not clear if it was election-related.
Education Secretary Leonor Briones instructed the Office of the Undersecretary for Finance to provide financial and other necessary assistance to the slain teacher’s family.
Undersecretary Alain del Pascua, DepEd Election Task Force chair, was also coordinating with the concerned government offices to investigate the incident and provide support for the victim’s family.
—REPORTS FROM JHUNNEX NAPALLACAN, CARLA GOMEZ AND NESTLE SEMILLA
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