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PNP forms special task group to probe NegOr killings
FILE: MINORS JOINING PROTEST RALLIES. Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, Gen. Oscar Albayalde raises questions as to who is planting the seeds of communism on the minds of students during a Senate hearing on missing minors allegedly recruited by leftist groups Anakbayan and Kabataan on Wednesday (Aug. 7, 2019). Albayalde recalled an instance when, in one of the protest rallies back in the day, he asked students the reason for joining the rally, to which they replied that it was a requirement from their teacher so they could pass the subject.
(PNA photo by Avito Dalan)
MANILA — The Police Regional Office 7 (Central Visayas) has formed a special task group to investigate the spate of killings in Negros Oriental involving elected government officials and other prominent personalities, the country’s top cop said Tuesday.
“(The) PRO 7 has created Special Investigation Task Groups (SITG) to closely supervise and monitor the six incidents involving elected government officials and other prominent personalities, such as the murder of Atty. Trinidad, Prof. Bayawa, former Mayor Enardecido, City Councilor Jalandoni, and Barangay Chairman Posadas,” Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, Gen. Oscar Albayalde, told reporters in a press conference held at Camp Crame.
On July 24, lawyer Anthony Trinidad was killed while his wife was wounded in an attack by motorcycle-riding gunmen in Guihulngan City. The following day in the same city, unidentified armed men stormed the house of school principal Arthur Bayawa and his sister Ardale Bayawa, an official of the local Department of Education office, and gunned them down.
Meanwhile, former Ayungon town mayor Edsel Enardecido and his cousin Leo were shot dead in his house at about 2:30 a.m. on July 27. On the same day, Canlaon City Councilor Ramon Jalandoni and Barangay Panubigan Chairman Ernesto Posadas were killed in separate attacks by still unidentified assailants.
Albayale also said that PRO-7 director, Brig. Gen. Debold Sinas, had reported that out of 11 shooting incidents that transpired in different municipalities of Negros Oriental, four cases have already been solved and referred to the Prosecutor’s Office of Dumaguete City.
He added that manhunt operations were continuing for the arrest of seven other identified suspects.
Earlier, the first batch of Special Action Force (SAF) troops assigned to help the local police in anti-criminality and internal security operations after the spate of killings in Negros Oriental, had arrived in the province.
PNP spokesperson, Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac said that placing the province under martial law is not necessary as authorities are in control of the situation.
