Resolving Escalante City killings: Marañon seeks PNoy’s help

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — Negros Occidental Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr. has called on President Benigno Aquino III to look into the continued pleas of residents and the families of victims of extrajudicial killings in Escalante City for justice.

The governor cited the recent killing of PO1 Bejein Tanguan, 25, a member of the PNP 6th Regional Public Safety Battalion, and Joseph Lutrago, 38, a police asset, in front of the public market of Brgy. Balintawak in Escalante City at about 6:30 p.m. last Monday.

Lutrago was a campaigner of mayoralty candidate Santiago Barcelona of the United Negros Alliance, which the governor heads. Before Monday’s killing, about 18 extrajudicial killings have taken place in Escalante City since 2007, and the majority of the victims were supporters of Barcelona. Almost all these however were claimed by the NPA.

Marañon also called on DILG Secretary Mar Roxas, a Negrense, to help the Escalante residents find justice for their loved ones. He further asked Comelec chairman, Sixto Brillantes Jr., regional head Renato Magbutay and provincial supervisor Wil Arceño to closely monitor election-related violence in Negros Occidental, take swift action and declare the province under Comelec control.

The governor said he has directed Sr. Supt. Celestino Guara, Negros Occidental Police director, to spearhead efforts to solve the Tanguan and Lutrago killings, and periodically update his office on the investigation. He also urged Supt. Jefferson Descallar, Escalante City Police Office chief, to coordinate with NOPPO in looking into the motives for the twin killings.

“Threats to undermine the people’s free will to choose their candidates on May 13 are becoming apparent just on the second day of the official campaign for local positions. Such act of cowardice must be condemned in the strongest term possible, and the perpetrators must be brought before the bar of justice,” Marañon said.

Concern has been raised by many that the Escalante killings could be tell-tale signs that the “reign of terror” and “days of warlordism” may dominate the Negros Occidental elections, said the governor.

Major Gen. Jose Mabanta Jr, commander of the 3rd Infantry Division, however condemned the killings that he believed were perpetrated by the NPA rebels, who also gunned down the brother of Lutrago, CAFGU member Armando on Dec. 3, 2011.

“The killing made by the NPA is a worst form of tactical offensive. It was done with treachery and goes to show how heartless they are,” Mabanta said in a press statement Tuesday, adding that the rebels have not achieved anything from it “except to make people realize that they are indeed criminals and bandits.”

Guara also said the incident was not “politically motivated,” but was “insurgency related.” He ordered Descallar to intensify the manhunt operations on the suspects, and to strengthen the police’s intelligence operations to thwart future related incidents.

Reelectionist Mayor Melecio Yap of Escalante also denied that the killing was politically motivated, insisting that it was more of an insurgency-related. Radio reports said the target of the NPA assassins was Lutrago, whose other brother Jonathan confessed they were supporters of Barcelona.

Jonathan said he believed that the killing of his brother and Tanguan have nothing to do with politics, telling The Freeman that some members of their family have been hunted down by the NPA. (FREEMAN)