NEGROS Occidental Vice Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson lauded on Wednesday, February 6, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) and the local police for the arrest of five suspected members of an alleged private armed group in Salvador Benedicto.
Lacson said that CIDG is doing its job, especially now during the election period.
“That will somehow secure the concerned area because we all want to have peaceful and orderly elections,” Lacson said.
The five alleged private armed group members, who were also linked to the death of a former leader of the Revolutionary Proletarian Army-Alex Boncayao Brigade in Salvador Benedicto, are all facing murder charges, and were denied bail by the court.
“It is good that armed groups are identified, and if there are existing cases against them, they are already arrested,” Lacson said.
Chief Inspector Edison Garcia, spokesman of the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office, said on Wednesday, that aside from the First District of Negros Occidental, they are also monitoring potential private armed groups in other areas of the province.
In another development, Provincial Election Supervisor Salud Villanueva confirmed she has already submitted to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) national office the Certificate of Withdrawal of former provincial agriculturist Igmedio Tabianan.
Tabianan withdrew his candidacy for Provincial Board member in the Third District on Friday, February 1.
Villanueva said that she submitted the withdrawal to Comelec Manila as the period for substitution and withdrawal of candidacy has already ended on November 29.
With the withdrawal of Tabianan, re-electionist Board Member Manuel Frederick Ko and Murcia Mayor Andrew Montelibano are now unopposed for the position of board member on the May 13 elections.