Samar gov denies clan's hand in mayor's slay

CAMP RUPERTO KANG­LEON PALO, Leyte, Philippines  – Samar Gov. Sharee-Ann Tan de los Santos said on Monday that she and her family would not resort to any form of violence, although slain Calbayog City Mayor Reynaldo Uy was a known political rival of their clan.

De los Santos, daughter of former governor, now Samar second district Rep. Milagrosa Tan, said he “respected” Uy despite their political differences.

“I would like to tell my fellow Samarnons that… though we had differences in our political beliefs, we cannot afford to resort to violence against a person whom I respected so much. We were in the same political party when I first ran in 2004 in Congress; unfortunately we parted ways because that’s part of politics,” De los Santos said in a radio interview.

Uy, together with second district board member Eunice Babalcon, was ambushed in the town proper of Hinaba­ngan last Saturday night. He was declared dead on arrival at the St. Paul’s Hospital, while Babalcon sustained a bullet wound in one arm.

De los Santos said she has asked Chief Superintendent Arnold Revilla, Eastern Visayas police director, to fast-track the investigation.

“We want this case be resolved immediately, so truth will come out as to who are responsible for this killing,” she said.

Investigators are considering all possible angles in Uy’s ambush.

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Raul Bacalzo directed Revilla to personally supervise the investigation until the attackers are identified, arrested and charged.

“We are considering all possible angles… We should give ample time to the Special Investigation Task Group to consolidate the pieces of evidence,” Bacalzo said.

“All angles whether personal, political, whether it’s tactical concerning the New People’s Army,” he added.

– With Cecille Suerte Felipe