Peace council forms Task Force Archer to solve lawyer slay case

DUMAGUETE CITY, Philippines — The city government's Peace and Order Council recently created Task Force Archer to look into the killing of lawyer Archer Martinez and other seminar incidents in the city that need immediate resolution.

Mayor Manuel Sagarbarria, chairman of the council, called up the members early this week and City Legal Officer Neil Rey Lagahit suggested the creation of the task force, which would be composed of members of the NBI, the CIDG, and the city and provincial police and prosecutors.

Another item discussed by the council was the reward money, the amount and source of which was taken up by the City Council during its last Wednesday session.

The reward would go to whoever could provide authorities information leading to the identification and capture of the assailants who killed Martinez inside his law office in the downtown area of this city last August 5.

In a related development, the Integrated Bar of the Philippines-Negros Oriental chapter has been raising funds as reward money also for the arrest of the killer of Martinez.

IBP chapter president Arturo Dupio said his group, in an emergency meeting last Saturday, has decided to put up a reward of P200,000. Last Monday, lawyers in the province wore black armbands to protest the killing of their peer in the profession of administering justice.

An IBP resolution was also approved urging the police, the NBI and other law enforcement agencies to expedite the resolution of the murder of Martinez. — THE FREEMAN