Bring in the Marines, violence-weary Cotabato folk urge Malacañang

Various sectors in Cotabato City have urged Malacañang to augment the police force in the area to bolster efforts of curbing the seemingly unending spate of wanton killings, bomb attacks and unabated extortion activities that have again retrogressed the local economy.

"Or better still, also redeploy the Marines to Cotabato City. They performed well when they were in Cotabato City for almost three years. We need more policemen and the Marines must be brought back to the area," a frantic member of the Chinese business community in Cotabato City said.

Tension in Cotabato City heightened Sunday following the gruesome killing of councilor Alexis Costales and his nephew, Clarence Cang, 6, by two gunmen who casually flagged down the victims’ vehicle at a residential area and opened fire with handguns.

The suspects, believed to be hired killers, fled from the scene on board motorcycles.

The gruesome killing of Costales and his nephew was perpetrated about seven hours after still unidentified suspects lobbed a fragmentation grenade inside the yard of lawyer Oscar Sampulna, a known protege and legal adviser of Cotabato City Mayor Muslimin Sema.

Sources from the Region 12 police command in Barangay Tambler, Gen. Santos City, confirmed that since January, at least 15 people have been killed in Cotabato City, some of them gunned down in busy spots.

Still unidentified suspects blasted early this month a fragmentation grenade inside the terminal in Cotabato City of a bus company, whose owners are now contemplating on suspending their operations in the area due to extortionists preying on them.

Due to kidnapping threats, medical practitioners in the area now refuse to respond to sick calls at night, according to a report last week by radio station in Koronadal City.

The adverse situation was an aftermath of last month’s abduction in Cotabato City of physician Rose Agustin by members of the Pentagon kidnapping syndicate. They set her free only after her family had allegedly paid a P3-million ransom

Until yesterday, the local police still have no solid clues on the identities of the killers of Costales and his nephew and the possible motive for the attack.

The Marines were pulled out from Cotabato City and Maguindanao last year and were reassigned to Sulu and Basilan to fight the Abu Sayyaf.

A check at the Region 12 police command showed that the Cotabato City police force lack not only personnel, but vehicles, firearms and radio equipment as well.

"President Arroyo must focus attention on our plight. We need more policemen. We are hoping she will listen to us. We are religiously paying our taxes so the goverment should reciprocate," said a practicing surgeon at a local hospital.