Sorsogon police probes death of arrested activist

LEGAZPI CITY — Police are investigating the death of a coordinator of the militant party-list group Bayan Muna while he was under tactical interrogation by elements of the Army’s 2nd Infantry Battalion in Sorsogon last Thursday morning.

Senior Superintendent Joel Regondola, Sorsogon police director, said Bayan Muna coordinator Toribio Mesa, 40, was arrested by 2nd IB men manning a detachment in Barangay Laboy in Matnog, Sorsogon on suspicion that he was an informer of the New People’s Army (NPA).

But during tactical interrogation at about 11:30 a.m. Thursday morning, Mira reportedly grabbed the firearm of one of the soldiers, causing a scuffle inside the detachment.

Mira then reportedly tried to run away but was felled by bullets and died on the spot. His body was brought to a government hospital in Matnog for autopsy.

Meanwhile, the Melo Commission said it is committed to recommend the prosecution of those found responsible for any killings of activists and journalists, as well as to address the root causes of extra-judicial killings in the country.

In a statement, Jose Melo, who chairs the presidential commission, assured foreign business groups which urged the Arroyo administration to put an end to political killings that the probe body "continues to pursue the investigation of the unabated attacks on leftist and religious groups."

As the President herself instructed, Melo said the commission "will leave no stone unturned" in fulfilling its duties and functions as stipulated in Administrative Order 157 which created it.

Commissioner Nelia Gonzalez said they will conduct out-of-town hearings beginning Nov. 27, starting in the cities of Bacolod and Butuan and then in the Ilocos region.

Regondola said their own dossier showed that Mira, coordinator of Bayan Muna in Bulan, "doubled as an informer of the NPA in the area."

Chief Inspector Jose Berero, Bulan police chief, said the killing of Mira was "a legitimate act of self-defense."

Meanwhile, police and Army operatives are still searching for P02 Edwin Estabillo, a member of the Magallanes police, who was abducted by suspected NPA guerrillas while he was visiting a relative in Barangay San Antonio in Barcelona town last Sunday afternoon.