The League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP) on Wednesday condemned the killing of Calbayog City Mayor Ronaldo P. Aquino, saying the “cowardly act executed in broad daylight” was a “sobering call for vigilance and a cry for the restoration of absolute peace and order.”
“We demand swift and immediate justice for the orchestrated ambush of Mayor Aquino and we appeal to police authorities for a thorough investigation of his killing. We count on them to bring to justice the perpetrators of this dastardly act and seek all witnesses that may provide clarity on the unfortunate incident,” the league, which has 146 members, said.
Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra on Wednesday ordered the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to submit in 10 days a progress report on the status of its probe on the ambush in which Aquino was killed.
Guevarra ordered the NBI to conduct an investigation on the shooting incident Monday afternoon in Calbayog, Samar that resulted in the death of the 59-year-old Aquino and five others.
Guevarra said he expects the NBI to file appropriate charges against all persons involved in the killings.
He said the NBI had to conduct a separate investigation because policemen were involved in the shooting.
NBI spokesman Ferdinand Lavin said they would use their Samar District Office based in Catbalogan, Samar that is under the supervision of their Regional Office located in Tacloban City, which would be augmented by a forensic team from Manila.
Senator Francis Pangilinan called on the NBI to conduct an independent and exhaustive probe, syaing killings without prosecution would further embolden criminals.
“Why is the Philippine National Police (PNP) changing tune from an ambush to a shootout? Why were the police wearing bonnets and carrying heavy firearms? What could be the motive of the mayor and his aides in shooting at the police, if the claim of the PNP chief is to be believed?” Pangilinan said.
He said witnesses should also be guaranteed protection so they could freely narrate what they saw and help solve the case.
Pangilinan said the spate of killings in the country should not make the public feel desensitized to the violence and injustice happening.
“We are all shocked or distressed, but we should also feel outraged by the loss of lives,” he said.
He lamented that the PNP, the very institution supposed to protect and preserve law and order, are the ones allegedly at the helm of the controversial killings.
“If not fighting back, concealing illegal firearms, and now, shootout. Policemen have a ‘ready story’ so they won’t be blamed,” he said.
Earlier, the senator asked why police were not using body cameras when millions of pesos had been allocated for their purchase in 2018.
