Tandag Diocese Bishop Raul Dael speaks before churchgoers during the Chrism Mass on Tuesday, April 4, at the San Nicolas de Tolentino Cathedral. Inquirer Mindanao
SAN FRANCISCO, Agusan del Sur — Tandag City Bishop Raul Dael has called on the police and local officials to resolve the spate of killings in Surigao del Sur that victimized many residents from all walks of life.
In a pastoral letter, Dael expressed deep concern about the rising number of killings that reached 46 from August last year to January this year, not counting the incidents from February to March this year.
Dael was alarmed, based on the data sent to him by Brig. Gen. Pablo G. Labra II, Caraga police chief, that shooting incidents occurred even in the middle of busy streets and commercial areas.
“It is unfortunate that many of these killings remain unsolved as the principal suspects are either at large or unknown. This situation perpetuates anguish of the families of victims and engenders fear, instability, and insecurity among our people,” the bishop said.
The bishop also called on local government officials for the efficient implementation of peace and order programs and projects at the provincial, city, or municipal levels and conscientious assessments of the prevailing peace and order situation in their respective areas of responsibility.
Col. Dennis Siruno, Surigao del Sur police director, told the Inquirer in a phone interview that most of the suspects are triggermen of the New People’s Army (NPA) who ran after their former comrades who yielded to the government.
He said most of the victims availed with the program for rebel returnees of the National Task Force to End Local Communists Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC).
“They cannot accept to learn that their former comrades already lay down their arms to the government that they resort to violence,” Siruno said, referring to the suspected killers.
The police official said he had a meeting with Dael two months back and asked the diocese to help in gathering information that would lead to the whereabouts of the suspects.
He also disclosed that some of the arrested suspects revealed the names of the rebels involved in the killings, which helped a lot in solving the crimes.
In his letter to Bishop Dael, Labra informed him that 39 of the 46 cases were already referred to the government prosecutor’s office and the courts. Six are still under investigation and will be filed as soon as the evidence is obtained.
But Siruno did not give specifics when asked how many of the victims were really former NPA rebels.
Based on the data sent to Dael from Labra, the murder victims were students, mechanics, businessmen, jobless persons, faith healers, retired workers, farmers, Army soldiers, laborers, drivers, self-employed individuals, housekeepers, caretakers, and a government treasurer.
Tandag City has the highest record with 9 cases, followed by Bislig City with 5 cases, the town of San Miguel with 5 cases, and the town of Barobo with 4 cases. The rest of the localities in the provinces have one to three cases.
At least 33 suspects are still at large, 11 were arrested, but one escaped, and two were released from detention. Of the suspects, 11 have aliases that Siruno believed were their nom de guerre in the guerilla movement.
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