Politician, cop masterminded Tentorio killing?

COTABATO CITY, Philippines  – A powerful politician and a police officer could have masterminded the Oct. 17 murder of Italian priest Fausto Tentorio in North Cotabato’s hinterland Arakan town, the National Bureau of Investigation said yesterday.

The NBI-Region 10 office has in its custody the alleged gunman, Jimmy Ato, who was arrested in Barangay Kulaman Valley in Arakan.

Lawyer Virgilio Mendez, NBI-Region 10 deputy director, however, declined to name the possible masterminds of Tentorio’s killing based on Ato’s initial revelations.           

“We cannot name names yet. Rest assured we are doing everything to solve this crime with the help of the police and the local sectors in Arakan,” Mendez told reporters.

Mendez said Tentorio’s staunch opposition to the proposed dam project in Arakan could have caught the ire of people who stood to benefit from it.

The proposed dam, which is to be used for a hydroelectric power plant, is to be built at the intersection of the Pulangi and Arakan Rivers.

Tentorio was so vocal about his apprehension on the project’s ecological impact on the two waterways, which traverse several enclaves of tribal folk under his parish.

Mendez said the project failed to push through due to the opposition of local residents inspired by Tentorio.

North Cotabato’s Catholic community is elated with the arrest of Ato.

“We are grateful to the NBI, the police and the military for the arrest of the suspect,” said Tentorio’s compatriot, Fr. Peter Geremiah, who is also involved in humanitarian missions in North Cotabato.

Even North Cotabato’s bishop, Msgr. Romulo de la Cruz, was equally happy with Ato’s arrest. He, however, called on the NBI to dig deeper on who could have really masterminded the killing.