GMA orders probe of Dep-Ed auditor's murder

President Arroyo ordered yesterday Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Governor Parouk Hussin to have a "direct hand" in the investigation of the grenade throwing incident in Cotabato City, which killed a government auditor, Maximo Pamilian, and his 14-year-old son on Saturday night.

"I want to know if there are any other government auditors whose lives are similarly under threat so that they can be extended protection by the authorities," Mrs. Arroyo said.

Pamilian was an auditor at the Department of Education (Dep-Ed) in ARMM.

"If the auditor was murdered in connection with the performance of duty, there could have been corruptors involved and this doubles the gravity of the crime," she said.

The President expressed her condolences to the Pamilian family and assured them that "all efforts will be exerted to ensure that the culprits are brought to justice." — Marichu Villanueva