Police clear rebel group in game fowl robberies

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

THE Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (Noppo) cleared the Revolutionary Proletarian Army (RPA) of the claims of former Murcia mayor Esteban Coscolluela linking it in the robberies of game fowls from his fighting cock farm in the town.

This was contained in the report of Superintendent Noel Mana-ay, who was tasked by Noppo Director Guisihan to conduct the investigation.

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Manaay said in his report that after careful perusal and evaluation of the facts, circumstances and issues surrounding the case, it was found out that “there is no armed men or group, specifically the RPA-ABB (Alex Bongcayao Brigade) presence, in the area of Hda. Puyas, Barangay Blumentritt, as alleged by Mr. Esteban Coscolluela.”

The investigation was conducted by the Noppo based on the letter of appeal of Coscoulluela addressed to Negros Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon, Jr., Murcia Mayor Andrew Montelibano, Guisihan, Murcia PNO chief Senior Inspector Norberto Barniso and Presidential Adviser for the Peace Process Secretary Teresita Deles.

Coscolluela stated in his letter that the incident, which happened last December 28, 2011, was not the first attempt that alleged heavily armed men wearing bonnets entered his game fowl farm and shot his breeding partner Bobsy Silverio.

He said it was the sixth incident since June 23, 2011 when armed men wearing bonnets allegedly took 13 gamecocks.

However, in his findings, Mana-ay said Coscolluela’s claim lacks merit and substance to support such allegation.

Mana-ay also stated that the shooting incident that transpired at Coscolluela’s cock farm was due to the quarrel between the latter’s caretaker and his other woman, while the series of robberies was due to the “unlawful advantage” taken by his caretaker against him.

Mana-ay recommended that the issue taken up by Coscolluela “be dropped and closed for lack of merit and substance to warrant his allegation that there was a presence of armed men in Hda. Puyas, Barangay Blumentritt, as well as his accusation against the Murcia police personnel’s inutility in resolving the case.”

He added that Coscolluela should hire somebody to conduct surveillance against his caretaker Bobsy Silverio to validate the latter’s involvement in the series of game fowl robberies in his cockfarm.