CHR, cops probe killing of health worker, husband

DUMAGUETE CITY—The police and the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) in Negros Oriental province are conducting separate investigations into the killing of a barangay health worker and her husband, a village official, by alleged military personnel in Guihulngan City.

The CHR sent a team to the mountain village of Tacpao in Guihulngan where Barangay Councilman Endric Calago, 47, and wife, Rosalie, 45, a barangay health worker, were shot and burned on May 24.

CHR special investigator Jess Cañete explained that investigations were being conducted more than a month after the murder because his office was not informed about it.

He learned about it when asked by reporters, he added.

Senior Supt. Dionardo Carlos, Negros Oriental police director, said he would ask the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in the province to help in the probe.

Carlos said he would also create a Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) to focus their efforts on this particular case.

Carlos had yet to receive a full report from the Guihulngan police on the circumstances surrounding the deaths of the Calago couple.

The creation of the SITG would start once Carlos received a copy of the police.

Several cause-oriented groups have condemned what they perceived as inaction on the part of authorities to investigate the killing of the couple.

The couple were allegedly shot and burned by military personnel in their house in Barangay Tacpao, Guihulngan City, during the prefiesta activities about 10 p.m. last May 24.

The Community-Based Health Programs in the Philippines (CBHP) condemned the killing.

A statement said Rosalie was a Barangay Nutrition Scholar, member of the women’s group Gabriela and a staunch supporter of CBHP and community health workers in their locality.

Endric was vice chair of Kaugmaon-Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas.

The couple were members also of the International Committee of the Red Cross.

The couple’s children told reporters they identified the assailants as members of the 11th Infantry Battalion (IB) based in McKinley, Guihulngan.

Lt. Col. Paul Idul, 11th IB commander, denied the allegations that his soldiers burned and executed the Calago couple.

Carlos asked groups that were calling for justice for the Calago couple to remain calm and not take hasty steps that would not help solve the case.

He assured them the police would investigate the killing and arrest the perpetrators.

He, however, said he could not say when the investigation would be finished because the progress would depend on information and pieces of evidence collected by his men.