28 elective officials killed, harmed since start of election period

Twenty-eight elective officials have been killed or harmed since the election period started in January, police said yesterday.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) has created special task forces to investigate the killings in support of National Task Force EGO.

Chief Superintendent Francisco Don Montenegro, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) director, said the “CIDG is bent on solving this violence against elected government officials and candidates.”

“We will be in the forefront of whatever election-related cases that will pop up this season to ensure an honest, orderly and peaceful election.”

Montenegro said Task Force EGO has taken cognizance of 24 cases involving 28 victims: 16 killed, nine harmed and three unharmed during the period Jan. 10 to March 6, 2010.

“Of this number, 16 were barangay chairmen, six councilors, three mayors and a governor, a board member and a vice mayor,” he said.

Senior Superintendent Generoso Bonifacio, EGO secretariat head, said the task force has already recorded some 95 cases since its creation on June 1, 2009.

Of the 102 victims in 95 cases, 65 were killed, 22 wounded and 11 unharmed, he added.

Montenegro said the creation of special investigation task forces will hasten the investigation of election-related cases.

In Cabangan, Zambales, a candidate for vice governor was gunned down in Barangay Mabanglit last March 1, he added.

Montenegro said last Feb. 17, Luis Mondia Jr., former mayor of Pulupandan, Negros Occidental was killed while boarding a van after Mass in Iloilo City.

Mondia’s wife Evalinda was hurt but survived, he added.

Investigators believe the killing of Mondia, who was running for mayor in Pulupandan town, was politically motivated, according to Superintendent Renato Angara, CIDG-Western Visayas chief.

Willy Viloria, 44, a vice gubernatorial candidate, was gunned down and robbed of some P500,000 in cash, according to Senior Superintendent Marvin Bolabola, Central Luzon CIDG chief.                                                              – Cecille Suerte Felipe