LOCAL police in Talisay City have yet to determine who is behind the murders of four men, including a neophyte barangay councilor, last week.
Supt. Marlu Conag, Talisay City police chief, said that as of yesterday, they were conducting further investigation to determine who was behind the murders of Lagtang village councilor Art Stephen Bas and detainees Yayam Gaviola, Marvin Abelgas, and Jovencio Rabadon.
In Bas’ case, Conag said they are looking into various angles to determine who is behind the student and politician’s ambush and death.
Conag recalled that during an interview with the Bas family, they were told that politics could be a possible angle behind his murder.
Family members told Conag that Bas was the only person who used the white SUV where he was shot and killed last Friday.
This is contrary to rumors that the shooting may have been a case of “mistaken identity” as some people reportedly saw Bas’ father, former Lagtang village chief Marc Ferdinand Bas, using the white SUV on some occasions.
But Conag said that aside from a possible political angle, they are also looking into other angles such as illegal drugs.
Bas’ father was identified by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) as one of three barangay officials in Cebu with alleged links to illegal drugs.
Meanwhile, the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) 7 is set to conduct its own investigation on the deaths of the three detainees outside the Talisay City Jail in Barangay Linao last Friday.
Lawyer Arvin Odron, CHR 7 director, said they are looking at lapses, if any, committed by the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) during the attack.
Odron said they questioned why the BJMP allowed the incident to happen considering that the detainees were their responsibility.
“They should be considered safe as they are under the BJMP’s custody, but why were they killed?” Odron asked.
On the other hand, Conag believes that the murders may have been done by the victims’ fellow gang members who may have wanted to liquidate them. (JKV)