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Monday, September 08, 2003
Rody: No comment on Pala's murder
IN AN unprecedented move, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte refused Sunday to give any personal reaction to the murder Saturday night of his number one detractor former city councilor and broadcaster Juan Porras Pala.
He also appeared reluctant to get involved in any investigations on Pala's assassination, saying the incident just ended the feisty broadcaster's life story. But he would allow himself investigated if there is evidence that he is indeed the brains behind Pala's murder.
"Pala is dead. Tapos na yung storya sa buhay nya. No comment na ako. If you have any question, ask the police, ako no comment ako The story of his life is finished. I have no comment)," he simply said.
Asked if he is not interested at all to know who were behind Pala's death, the mayor said: "Maybe the rest of humanity is interested who killed him but me, as I said tapos na ang storya ng buhay nya (his life story is finished)."
Chief Supt. Isidro Lapeņa, regional police director, ordered the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) 11 and the Davao City Police Office Sunday to conduct a no-nonsense investigation on Pala's assassination.
"We are directed by Gen. Lapeņa to conduct an investigation. We will be supported by DCPO," Major Joel Consulta, CIDG administrative officer, said.
When asked whether they will include Duterte and other police personalities earlier mentioned by Pala to have plotted his assassination, Consulta did not give a categorical answer, saying they are still looking into such reports.
Pala reportedly announced in his radio program last Friday several names of police officers known to be very close to Duterte who were planning to assassinate him.
Pala's wife, Louie, when asked who was behind her husband's murder, she simply replied: "Hindi na talaga yon dapat pang tanungin, alam na ng mga tao kung sino (It need not be asked, the public already knows)."
"Apat ang anak ko maliliit pa. Masaya na sila ngayon kay patay na si Jun (I have four young children with me. They must be happy now that Jun is dead)," she said.
Last Saturday's incident was the third attempt made on Pala's life.
Pala had publicly attributed the earlier attempts on his life to Duterte whom he constantly criticized in his radio programs.
But Duterte denied any hand in the previous ambuscades against Pala. He was quoted to have said that if indeed he was the one who ordered Pala to be ambushed the broadcaster would have long been dead.
Pressed to give comment on his being implicated in Pala's murder, Duterte said he is willing to submit himself to any police investigation if there is proof that would implicate him.
Pala was killed by assassins' bullets Saturday night at the boundary of Vista Verde Village and Davao Empress in Panacan.
Reports have it that Pala, a commentator in radio station dxGO, had just stepped out of a friend's house, Rey Alejos in Vista Verde past 7 p.m. when three gunmen shot him, police and co-workers said.
The gunmen, onboard a motorcycle with no plate number, peppered Pala and two others, Jonathan and Roberto Porras, with bullets from a .45 caliber pistol and an M16-rifle.
Pala was hit in the chest five times, one bullet piercing his heart. GPP/BOT
(September 8, 2003 issue)
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