Albayalde relieves 4 highest police officials in Negros Oriental

According to Albayalde, their removal will “pave the way for an impartial investigation” into the deaths of 14 people in the province — eight in Canlaon City, four in Manjuyod, and two in Sta. Catalina — during separate police operations last Saturday. (PNA file photo by Joey O. Razon)

The four highest police officials in Negros Oriental were ordered relieved by Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Oscar Albayalde on Tuesday, April 2.

The officials relieved from their posts were Negros Oriental provincial police director, Colonel Raul Tacaca, Canlaon City police chief, Colonel Patricio Degay, Manjuyod Municipal police chief, Lieutenant Kevin Roy Mamaraldo, and Sta. Catalina police chief, Captain Michael Rubia.

According to Albayalde, their removal will “pave the way for an impartial investigation” into the deaths of 14 people in the province — eight in Canlaon City, four in Manjuyod, and two in Sta. Catalina — during separate police operations last Saturday.

These people, the police earlier said, were believed to be members and supporters of the New People’s Army (NPA) who resisted arrest when the cops issued search warrants for alleged illegal possession of firearms and explosives.

The Kabataan Party-list earlier identified some of the victims as Ismael Avelino, 53; Edgardo Avelino, 59; Melchor Pañares, 67; Mario Pañares, 46; Rogelio Ricomuno, 52; Ricky Ricomuno, 28; Gonzalo Rosales, 47; Genes Palmares, 54.

Kabataan Party-list Representative Sarah Elago has said those victims were farmers who were the target of “joint military and police operations” against “members of peasant and plantation workers’ groups in the guise of ‘anti-criminality.'”

“This horrendous massacre brings the death toll of farmers killed under the Duterte administration to 197. I am enraged, extremely heartbroken! We, in Kabataan, STRONGLY condemn this murderous rampage! We call for an independent probe into this grave matter,” she said.

The Philippine National Police (PNP), however, said that there was “no massacre” that occurred and that the operations conducted by the Negros Oriental Police Office were “legitimate and covered by search warrants issued by the court.”

The Palace also defended the “legitimate police operation” and denied claims that the government is targeting farmers who have links with the communist rebels.

“You know, that is the usual statement issued by those who are linked with the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP). But the fact remains that the people subject of a search warrant have been identified as suspects in certain ambushes, assassinations, assassination attempts,” Panelo stressed.

The Commission on Human Rights (CHR), for its part, said the regional sub-office of CHR-Region VII has already been instructed to investigate the incident.

“At this point, our interest is finding out the truth behind a police operation, which authorities claim to be meant to serve warrants of arrest, but resulted to 14 deaths of farmers and a cop said to be injured,” it said.