NEWLY appointed Misamis Oriental Provincial Board Member President Elipe on Thursday, November 8, said the legislative body will likely initiate an inquiry into the killing of three men that was linked to the Tagoloan police.
The bodies of Vincent Vimen, Clifford Abales and Don Remar Andales were found two days after they were allegedly invited by the Tagoloan police for questioning.
The bodies were dumped on a cliff in Sitio Bagong Silang, Malitbog, Bukidnon.
Elipe said there is a need to verify the allegations that the policemen had a hand in the killing.
"Importante nga lantawon unsa gyud nahitabo. Atong ipa-verify ang facts aron ma-raise ug ma-take up sa committee aron masuta kung dunay kinahanglan nga legislative measures," Elipe said.
(It is important to establish what happened. We will verify the facts so that the committee can determine whether there is a need for appropriate legislative measures.)
"Dili angay nga magpadayon kining ingon ani nga klase sa activities. Kailangan ma-verify kay posible man pud nga dili related sa pag-invite sa kapolisan ang hitabo so unfair pud," he added.
(This could not go on. We have to verify because it is possible that the killing is not related to the victims having been invited for questioning. It is also unfair to the police.)
Elipe also urged the victims' relatives to seek help from the proper authorities.
"Naa man atong kadagkoan sa kapolisan para ma-verify within their ranks kung unsa ang problema (The police can verify this among their ranks)," Elipe said.
"Kung duna makita kalapasan nga involved ang atong mga men in uniform atong tan-awon kung unsa nga mga agencies nga pwede nato magamit para motabang sa problema nga masanta ang abuso sa mga men in uniform," he added.
(If men in uniform were involved, we will look at which agencies could help address the problem and curb abuses by men in uniform.)
Superintendent Surki Serenas, spokesperson of the Police Regional Office Northern Mindanao (PRO-10), has maintained that "there is no state-sanctioned killing and that the PNP does not condone vigilante-type killings and strongly condemn it."
He also said the claims that police personnel were involved in the killing are serious allegations that have to be proven in court.
But Serenas has assured the families that the PRO-Northern Mindanao will remain impartial and fair and would not get in the way should there be evidence that would merit the filing of cases against any police personnel.
"It is also our desire to give justice to the victims," he said.