Thursday, May 03, 2007 Gabriela condemns slay of party-list leader By Ben O. Tesiorna
THE Gabriela Women's party-list group condemned the killing of Alagad party-list regional coordinator Josephine Buca.
Buca was killed by three unidentified motorcycle-riding gunmen in front of South Villa Apartelle along Lizada Drive in Beach Club, Pampanga, Davao City dawn of Sunday.
The group cautioned authorities on the rising number cases of electoral violence.
Police, however, dismissed reports that Buca's death is election-related.
In a statement, Professor Luz Ilagan, Gabriela national president and nominee, said their group is wary that the coming elections will once again display traditional politicians' resort to violence and fraud to perpetrate into power.
"Josephine Buca is but one of the many victims of electoral violence that would portray how corrupt and rotten the current political system is in the country," Ilagan said.
"This may not be surprising to many of us, but we cannot allow such to continue to prevail as a political alternative for some to achieve power. Thus, our strongest condemnation to this brutal act," she added.
Police Regional Office (PRO)-Southern Mindanao Director Andres Caro however said based on initial investigation the death of militant leader could not be considered an election-related incident.
Caro said they are looking into the angle of personal grudge as the motive behind the killing.
He said the victim was president of a squatters group in their area that is presently locked in a legal battle with the landowner.
Aside from this, Caro said, Buca had extortion cases prior to his death.
Police investigation is however not totally closing the angle on politics as of this time.
