Thursday, June 15, 2006
16 who survived attack not cooperative: police
After the 165th vigilante-style killing in Cebu City, local law enforcers are calling on the community to help in solving the crimes.
Both Criminal Investigation and Detection Group 7 Chief Jose Jorge Corpuz and Homicide Section Chief Mario Monilar made the call yesterday.
Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal, the Integrated Bar of the Philippines Cebu City chapter, the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) and, recently, the US Embassy, have raised a similar appeal.
They were alarmed by the rising number of summary executions, with the police appearing unperturbed and unable to find the culprits.
However, Monilar lamented that even those who survived the vigilante attacks refuse to cooperate in their investigation.
Monilar has a list of the 16 survivors, including their addresses, but he said they all refused to issue any statement.
“They do not entertain our investigators because they are afraid of reprisal,” Monilar said.
“We are appealing to the public to step forward to help us solve these cases,” Corpuz said.
Meanwhile, the police is looking into the angle that the killing of the latest victim could be drug-related.
The tombstone maker Benjamin Raganas, 42, was shot dead by two men on a motorcycle last Tuesday near the gate of Carreta cemetery along Gen. Maxilom Ave.
He was the 165th victim of summary executions that started on Dec. 22, 2004.
No record
Monilar said his relatives confirmed that Raganas was a drug user but he had no police record.
A cousin saw that the gunman had a holster and handcuff tucked in his waistband, raising the suspicion that the gunman could be a policeman.
But police officials pointed out handcuffs and holsters are not exclusive to policemen.
The CHR has warned that the Philippines’ membership in the United Nations Human Rights Council could be at risk because of the vigilante killings in Cebu and Davao cities.
Mayor Tomas Osmeña earlier said he will not make going after the perpetrators a priority because he would rather that criminals be scared to stay in Cebu City.
Vice Mayor Michael Rama, however, said that Cebu City’s reputation is suffering from the summary executions. But then he noted that the embarrassment from the international community may prod local leaders and police officials to take a firmer action against such attacks. (MBG)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (June 15, 2006 issue)
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