HOW many people with alleged link or who are escorting those with alleged link to illegal drugs have been killed while on the way to or from a court hearing? I Googled and this was what I found:
On July 20 last year, Yayam Gaviola, Marwin Abelgas and Jovencio Rabadon died when unidentified men strafed the van that was transporting them to a court hearing on their drug cases. Their two escorts were unhurt. The ambush occurred only 300 meters away from the city jail in Barangay Linao, Talisay.
Less than two months later, Jerryfer Peregrino and two provincial guards were also in a van on their way to court for a hearing on Peregrino’s drugs case when they were ambushed in Kalunasan, Cebu City. All three died.
The other day, Tocelio Debalucos Ababon, who, SunStar reported, was a “former trusted underling of self-confessed drug lord Franz Sabalones,” was shot to death by assailants on board three motorcycles while inside a police patrol car escorted by two policemen, both of whom were unhurt. They were heading towards Argao for a hearing on Ababon’s drug case when the ambush occurred.
All the three incidents happened in broad daylight. Ababon was wearing a bullet-proof vest when he was ambushed but it proved to be of no help. Maybe, we should transport all drug suspects to the court in armored trucks instead?
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Lawyer Gines Abellana and I have been friends for more than four decades. He is easy to get along with and that’s a huge compliment you can pay a colleague in an adversarial profession.
He doesn’t always go for the routine. I discovered that in the 1980s when I was coaching the Integrated Bar of the Philippines basketball team in a lawyers’ tournament in Bacolod. With about five minutes left in the game and our team ahead by ten plus points, I called a timeout.
While we were in a huddle, I spotted Gines (we fondly call him Tatang) approach the officials’ table. On his way back, I asked him what he just did. “I’m subbing,” he said. “There’s not much time left and I haven’t played yet.” We all had a good laugh. By the way, we still won.
I just read that Gines, who is now the Mambaling barangay captain, has been suspended by the Cebu City Council for alleged abuse of authority. His offense? He withheld the salaries of four barangay councilors who disobeyed his order to render at least five hours a week of service to the barangay as officer of the day.
Each explained the reason for his failure: house blessing, buy-and-sell business, date with a relative who just arrived from Denmark. Gines was not persuaded. I am not surprised.
Gines won as an independent but subsequently allied himself with Barug. The four councilors are with the Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK). The City Council that suspended him is BOPK-dominated. Go, figure.
Abellana is not known to bow down easily. I expect him to come back with both barrels blazing. Go, Tatang!