|
Friday, December 05, 2003
GMA: Reward system might work for slain Abra mayors
By Harley F. Palangchao
PRESIDENT Arroyo said Thursday the reward system could hasten the separate investigations on the brutal murders of two Abra mayors - Clarence Benwaren of Tineg and Jose Segundo of Tubo.
In an interview over Bombo Radyo-Baguio, Arroyo said the Abra Provincial Police Office is doing its best to solve the two murder cases and put the perpetrators behind bars.
The President, however, did not comment on allegations that a top Abra politician was reportedly involved in the killings.
Arroyo, instead, said the police and other law enforcers are not sleeping on their jobs and rallied barangay chairmen and possible witnesses to come out into the open to testify on the two murder cases.
Benwaren was gunned down on Oct. 29, 2002 by a lone assassin inside a church in Calauan, Laguna, where he and wife Soledad stood as principal sponsors. Almost a year before, Segundo was killed by a sniper in a remote village in Tubo town.
Soledad said the reward system could help investigators solve the crime but hinted that it is not an assurance that the mastermind would be arrested or evidence linking to the mastermind would be finally established.
Like the Benwaren family, Abrenians residing abroad and in the country ruled out the involvement of the New People's Army (NPA), particularly the Agustin Begnalen Command, on Benwaren's killing although he was in the NPA hit list before the youthful mayor was killed.
Soledad earlier asked Malacaņang to form an independent task force to investigate the violent murder of her husband.
Some Abrenians, meanwhile, alleged that Abra Gov. Vicente Valera may be the mastermind but police investigators admitted they have no strong evidence to link Valera to the crime.
Valera has also consistently denied any involvement with regard Benwaren's death. The governor's supporters also stressed those who ordered the killing of Benwaren only wanted to pin down Valera.
Soledad, meanwhile, said that while "justice may be delayed, it would soon come to pass and in the end, righteousness would prevail over wickedness."
(December 5, 2003 issue)
Write letter to the editor. Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board. Click here. |
|
[ return
to top ]
[ home
]
|
LOCAL NEWS
BUSINESS
OPINION
SPORTS
LIFESTYLE
FEATURE
|
