SK council in Samar slams killing of its councilor

TACLOBAN CITY — The federation council of the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) in Samar province has condemned the killing by a still unidentified gunman of one of its councilors.

The SK provincial federation, in a statement, called on the police authorities to hasten its investigation and unmask who was behind the murder of Gerald Casaljay, an SK councilor of Barangay Migara in Calbayog City.

Casaljay and his companion, Brandel Yrigon, were about to go home around 4 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 8,  after attending a fiesta celebration in Barangay Osmeña when the assailant approached them from behind and shot the victim several times.

Yrigon managed to escape.

“We condemn the killing of SK Kagawad Gerald Casaljay…(as) we are in solidarity with people, groups, and organizations who are grappling with the pain and shock of yet another outrageous act of violence that needlessly took a young person’s life,” the SK federation said in a statement.

“We appeal to the local authorities to conduct a fair and impartial investigation of the case, and to the national government to intervene, with the increasing number of killings in Calbayog City, to end the impunity of those responsible for the attack and to give justice to Casaljay’s family, friends, the Sangguniang Kabataan,” it added.

Samar Rep. Sharee Ann Tan also condemned the killing of Calsajay.

Tan said that the slain youth official was also a member of the Sirak Kabataan, a youth movement initiated by the congresswoman.

“The death of Gerald Casaljay, one of our Sirak Kabataan movers and an SK member in Calbayog City, should not be considered as just another statistic,” she said in a statement.

“It is difficult enough to lose our young through drug addiction and other social injustices, issues that Sirak Kabataan is working to address. But to lose them through senseless killings is beyond reason. I stand with the family of Gerald, and I hope that justice will be served swiftly,” Tan said.

The police authorities in Calbayog have yet to determine the identity of the lone suspect and the motive behind the killing of Casaljay.

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