|
Thursday, June 01, 2006
Gayotin says no witnesses v. murderers
The rising number of victims of summary executions in Cebu City prodded Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 Director Silverio Alarcio Jr. to summon Supt. Melvin Gayotin to his office to brief him about the actions taken by the Cebu City Police Office on the situation.
As of last count by the Homicide Section, 162 people were gunned down vigilante-style since Dec. 22, 2004.
Gayotin, later interviewed by reporters, said he explained to Alarcio that they are doing all they can to unmask the people behind the rash of killings.
The police, however, could not move forward because of the lack of witnesses, Gayotin said.
Other victims who have survived the attacks were also reluctant to cooperate in the investigation, he said.
Alarcio told him to sustain the checkpoint operations and maintain police visibility to stop those behind the killings from victimizing more people.
One of the possible solutions that Gayotin presented to Alarcio is to assign beat patrol policemen and make them stay in a specific area so that help would immediately be available whenever incidents occur.
Alarcio, in an interview over radio dyLA, said the PRO 7 will do its best to address the problem.
He appealed to the public to help the police in the investigation, particularly in providing witnesses.
“We are hoping that the community will help us in providing witnesses. Help us in the investigation. Give us information and we will do the rest,” Alarcio said.
Witnesses are reportedly hesitant to cooperate with the police because they suspect that the police are the ones behind the killings.
Alarcio said relatives or family members of the victims may approach his office so that they could investigate and take action against these policemen.
The latest victim was Alex U. Mara-Mara, 28, who had just finished serving a jail term for a robbery case.
San Roque Barangay Captain Rogelio Ruizo appealed to those behind the killing to spare ex-convicts who are trying to reform their lives.
Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal has been vocal about his objection to the summary executions and has appealed for an end to the killings on several occasions already.
The cardinal even raised his concern to the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines.
The Commission on Human Rights and the National Bureau of Investigation 7 investigated the killings but have yet to come up with results. (JST)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (June 1, 2006 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board.Click here. |
|
[return to top]
[home]
[network page]
|
LOCAL NEWS
BUSINESS
OPINION
SPORTS
LIFESTYLE
FEATURE
SUPERBALITA
WEEKEND
|
