Masbate, Samar Violence: Jail warden, cops linked to deaths of bets’ supporters

The provincial jail warden of Masbate is being hunted for the gunslaying of a mayoral candidate’s supporter, while the entire police force of a Samar town was placed under investigation after some of its men allegedly beat to death a barangay leader of a congressional aspirant.

Police authorities have launched a massive manhunt for Masbate jail warden Charlie Quedato who, along with three companions, allegedly gunned down last Thursday morning one Virgilio Zabala, a supporter of Jamon Abeduman, a mayoral candidate in Cawayan, Masbate.

Police probers suspect that the killing of Quedato, who died from seven gunshot wounds, was politically motivated.

In Samar, members of the police force of Pagsanghan town were allegedly involved in the fatal mauling of Eddie Acedilla Carias, a barangay leader of Calbayog City Mayor Reynaldo Uy, who is running for Congress.

Carias, 35, was found dead inside a cell of the municipal jail before dawn Wednesday. He was detained the previous night for reportedly running berserk in the Pagsanghan poblacion.

Police officers Samuel Corpin, Joseph Dilao and Renato Acedilla, who arrested Carias, said he was wielding a bolo and intoxicated when he created trouble in Barangays Villahermosa Oriental and Occidental.

Witnesses, however, said the policemen beat up Carias, even inside the municipal jail.

PO3 Samuel Corpin said he found Carias lifeless when he inspected the jail at about 5:30 a.m. last Wednesday.

Samar police director Felipe Portacio, accompanied by medico-legal experts, went to the town yesterday to personally investigate Carias’ death.

Uy requested Portacio to take a hand in the probe. "This needs to be investigated by the police leadership," he said.

Last April 19, another leader of Uy, Marcelo Nyangga, was killed and two of his companions were wounded in an ambush in Barangay Look, just near the Calbayog City proper.

In another development in Masbate, police arrested assistant provincial administrator Efren Abejuela, 27, after a handgun was seized from him at a checkpoint in Barangay Palocale in Dimasalang town the other day.

On the same day, Romeo Torres Jr., an independent gubernatorial candidate, was also arrested at a checkpoint in Barangay Bigaa, Virac, Catanduanes for possession of a caliber .45 pistol.

Torres’ opponent, former Rep. Leandro Verceles Jr. of Lakas-NUCD, has filed a disqualification petition against him. (Cet Dematera and Ulysses Torres Sabuco)