Monday, May 12, 2008 Barra folks fear for their lives
ALMOST two months after suspected vigilantes in Barra, Macabalan, gunned down Saidamin Saripada, justice has not been served as his killers are still on the loose.
The ineptness of the Cagayan de Oro police to catch his killers prompted Maranaos in Barra to question whether there was foot-dragging in the investigation since the victim is a Muslim.
"Can we live in peace when our laws are not applied equally?" an elderly Maranao woman asked.
The small Maranao community in Barra is scared for they knew who the killers are. They are afraid that they would become the next victims.
Saripada, 21, was gunned down in broad daylight by two gunmen riding on a motorcycle last March 14.
Police said Saripada was a member of the notorious Batang Mindanao 29 gang and was a thief.
Saripada's father knelt beside the dead body of his son and prayed the Salatul Janaza (Muslim prayer for the dead), "Why did they have to kill my son? Justice, not bullets should punish my son."
Ibrahim's neighbors knew the identities of the killers but told Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro that they are scared of them that they declined to give their names when they were interviewed.
"Mga police man ang nagpatay. Sige pa gani suroy diri (The killers are policemen. They even make frequent visits here,)" they said.
Mayor Constantino Jaraula meanwhile vowed to take actions against the vigilantes, saying such groups should not exist in a peaceful place like Cagayan de Oro.
But two months after Jaraula made that promise, nothing came out of the investigation.
The killers of Saripada and other victims of summary executions are still on the loose apparently protected by a law enforcement culture that carries out murders on petty criminals. (ASG and SHS/Interns)
