Vizcaya top cops sacked over 'mishandling' of probe into NDFP consultant killing

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police on Friday ordered the relief of Nueva Vizcaya provincial director and Aritao chief of police over lapses in the probe into the killing of National Democratic Front of the Philippines consultant Randy Malayao.

In a statement, Director General Oscar Albayalde, police chief, directed the administrative relief of Senior Superintendent Jeremias Aglugub, Nueva Vizcaya provincial director, and Chief Inspector Geovannia Cejes “for apparent lapses in the investigation” of Malayao’s killing.

The PNP said that they were ordered sacked “particularly [due to] mishandling of evidence at the crime scene.”

The statement did not expound on the specifics of the said mishandling of the crime scene.

The PNP added that Chief Superintendent Jose Mario Espino, regional director of region 2, would designate the replacements of Aglugub and Cejes.

Malayao, also a columnist for Baguio City-based Northern Dispatch, was shot while inside a bus heading to Cagayan on early morning of January 31.

Several groups denounced the “cold-blooded murder” of Malayao.

Human rights watchdog Amnesty International said the killing of Malayao is an addition to the list of political activists who have been attacked and killed in the Philippines.

“His killing comes at a time when political activists in the county have become regular targets of violent attacks, and in a climate in which such killings are being normalized under the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte,” said Minar Pimple, AI’s senior director for global operations, in a statement.

Malayao’s killing came following Duterte’s remark that he would establish an armed civilian group to kill idlers and prospective members of the New People’s Army.

Malayao, who was covered by the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees, acted as one of the spokespersons of the NDFP negotiating panel in Europe. NDFP has long been engaged in peace negotiations with the Philippine government.

According to a report by the STAR, the police said that Malayao was awakened when the gunman boarded the bus during a stopover in Barangay Darapidap, Nueva Ecija.

The perpetrator escaped on a motorcycle driven by another unidentified man.

The police and the Commission on Human Rights launched their investigation on the killing. — Kristine Joy Patag