Cuerpo's help sought in surrender of 4 supporters

MANILA, Philippines - Police sought the help of suspended Rodriguez, Rizal Mayor Pedro Cuerpo for the surrender of four of his supporters tagged in the killing of a retired police officer and an active policeman in the town’s public market last Jan. 1.

Senior Superintendent Ireneo Dordas, Rizal police director, said he called up Cuerpo to seek his cooperation for the surrender of Datu Kamaen Acon, Phol Ibad alias Paul, and two others.

Dordas said they filed double murder charges against Acon, Ibad and two John Does before the Rizal prosecutor’s office on Tuesday for the killing of retired Senior Inspector Ricardo Amata and SPO2 Danilo Zuñiga.

Dordas said he has two witnesses who positively identified Acon, Ibad and their two companions as behind the killing.

Amata was accused of choking Cuerpo at the height of the latter’s suspension implemented by the Department of the Interior and Local Government recently. He was a known ally of acting Rodriguez Mayor Jonas Cruz.

Cuerpo denied having a role in the twin killings and that Acon and Ibad were his supporters.

However, Dordas insisted that Acon, a street sweeper at the San Jose public market, is a known supporter of Cuerpo.

“Each time I paid Mayor Cuerpo a visit at his office, the suspect, Acon, is always there,” Dordas told The STAR.

According to Dordas, his men raided Acon’s residence at Kasiglahan Village after the shootout that left Amata, Zuñiga, and another Cuerpo supporter, Bhong Meldo, dead. He said Acon was nowhere to be found.

Dordas said Cuerpo promised to help but claimed later that he, too, could not locate Acon and Ibad anymore.

Cuerpo is challenging incumbent Rizal Gov. Casimiro Ynares Jr. in the May elections.

His son, Rey, is contesting the Rodriguez mayoral post with Cecilio Hernandez, the incumbent chairman of Barangay San Isidro.

Dordas has dispatched a 25-man police team to Rodriguez town to prevent the escalation of violence between the two opposing political groups.

Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police gave Zuñiga a posthumous promotion to the rank of Senior Officer 3 yesterday “for offering the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty.”   – With Mike Frialde