GOV. HILARIO DAVIDE III welcomed the plan of some members of the Senate to initiate an investigation on the unsolved killings in Cebu.
Davide said a Senate hearing is necessary to determine who is behind these murders and what can be done. It will also clear the police of rumors that they are involved, he said.
Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Oscar Albayalde also welcomed the development.
“We will support the probe. Palagi yan kung merong mga (We always do that if there’s an) investigation or talagang merong (if there’s a) resolution that necessitates an investigation. We are always supporting investigations. Wala namang itatago ang PNP diyan (The PNP has nothing to hide),” he said.
Meanwhile, Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña continues to blame Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 Director Debold Sinas and Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) Director Royina Garma for the rash of killings.
“I will comment on that in the proper time. But I will tell you it’s the police. I’m sorry, I take that back. It’s Garma and Sinas. Our police were okay under (former CCPO director Joel) Doria. Our police were the best in the Philippines. That includes Davao City. When they (Garma and Sinas) came in, we have all of these killings. When they came into the picture, what happened?” he said.
Osmeña said the Senate can go ahead with the investigation.
“Why do they always say they call for an investigation? Every other day they call for an investigation, but they do not investigate. Let them talk whatever they want,” he said.
Last Wednesday, opposition Senators Franklin Drilon, Francis Pangilinan, Leila de Lima, Antonio Trillanes IV, Risa Hontiveros and Paolo Benigno Aquino IV filed Senate Resolution 915 due to concerns that police officers were behind the extrajudicial killings in Cebu.
This year, four local public officials--three incumbents and one former official--were murdered by unidentified men.
Ronda Mayor Mariano Blanco III and his nephew, Vice Mayor Jonah John Ungab, were killed in separate incidents. Blanco was killed because of his alleged involvement in illegal drugs, while his nephew was the lawyer of self-confessed drug lord Kerwin Espinosa.
Barangay Lagtang, Talisay City Councilor Art Stephen Bas was also ambushed last July. Earlier this month, his father, former Lagtang barangay captain Marc Ferdinand Bas, was killed in Sibonga. (JKV, RVC, SunStar Philippines)