THE family and friends of the late Ermita, Cebu City barangay captain Felicisimo “Imok” Rupinta have not given up on police identifying the mastermind of his killing last year.
Ermita Acting Barangay Captain Efe Rupinta, Imok’s daughter, said they are optimistic that justice will soon be served.
“We are thankful that the person who killed my father was already arrested. What we are fighting for right now is to determine who was behind the killing. The case is still running. We are optimistic because we and the people of Barangay Ermita are praying for it,” she said.
Police had taken into custody Jimmy Largo, who was identified as the gunman. He was identified by Imok’s live-in partner, Jocelyn Mendoza, who was with the victim when he was gunned down.
Jordan Gera, the second suspect, was also arrested a week after Largo’s arrest.
Challenge
Councilor Pastor Alcover Jr., Imok’s ally, said they are also waiting for justice to be served.
Alcover challenged Mayor Tomas Osmeña to take back the latter’s earlier statement that he was happy that Imok was dead.
“My only request to him is for him to take back his statement because that’s very unethical. There have been suspicions that he is behind the death of Imok because of his inappropriate comments,” he said.
Imok’s family and friends remembered him Friday, Nov. 23, which marked his first death anniversary, by offering a mass and launching a photo exhibit inside the barangay gym.
“This exhibit is a way of remembering Kap Imok’s achievement in the barangay like the distribution of pre-patent title of lots to residents of Barangay Ermita and the construction of the public elementary school, among others,” his daughter Efe said.
She said the barangay continues to assist vendors in the Carbon Public Market even after her father’s death.
Voluntary fee
Imok founded the Cebu City United Vendors Association.
The acting barangay captain said the barangay still collects a P10-voluntary fee daily from sidewalk vendors through its economic enterprise department to help fund basic services like garbage collection and to pay for the salary of some workers.
Earlier, the City Treasurer’s Office ordered Ermita officials to stop collecting P10 from market vendors since they were not deputized to collect taxes and fees for the use of any City property. But Imok had argued that the collection was legal, voluntary, necessary and had a corresponding ordinance.
Rupinta said they’ve collected P19,000 from sidewalk vendors so far this year. RVC