I am urging authorities to closely monitor the political and peace and order developments of San Fernando town, and I would highly suggest to possibly place the town under full Commission on Elections (Comelec) control in the May elections to avoid political violence and further bloodshed. I may be too alarmist and presumptuous, but the way I see it, there will be more killings in the coming days, either due to intense political rivalry or due to the illegal drug trade. I am not saying that incumbent politicians are involved in illegal drugs, but some angles and motives behind the series of killings of town officials are somehow attributed to illegal drug trade.
The latest fatality among the town’s elected officials was Councilor Alfonso Donaire IV, who was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in the town of Ramon Magsaysay in Zamboanga del Sur last Saturday morning. Donaire was on an indefinite leave of absence and had been in hiding in Zamboanga del Sur for a couple of months. It was not known when he arrived there or where he was staying.
Donaire was the third elected official from San Fernando to be killed since January. Last Jan. 10, Councilor Reneboy Dacalos was shot dead near his store in Poblacion in broad daylight. Six days after, former municipal councilor and Magsico Barangay Captain John Arriesgado was also ambushed. Last March, Councilor Alexander Alicaway was shot dead just meters from the town’s police headquarters. These killings were attributed to the illegal drug trade, as the fatalities were known to have been linked to self-confessed drug lord Franz Sabalones, whose brother Vice Mayor Fralz Sabalones has been on official leave for several months now. The vice mayor is also in hiding.
Last Jan. 22, Mayor Lakambini “Neneth” Reluya was ambushed together with her husband, Association of Barangay Councils (ABC) president Ricardo “Nonoy” Reluya Jr. The mayor survived but Nonoy died together with the town’s investment and promotion officer Ricky Monterona and driver Allan Bayot. The police dismissed politics as a motive for the Reluya ambush, but the mayor believed otherwise. Police named Jerome Labitad and Felix Abacahan, both suspected guns-for-hire, as the alleged culprits, but refused to name the mastermind.
Reluya offered P2.2 million as reward money to anybody who could provide information leading to the identification and possible filing of charges against those responsible. But what is ironic is that Reluya’s political opponent for the mayoralty race, businessman Ruben Feliciano, also put out a bounty of P3.5 million. Is Feliciano really serious on his offer? Or is he just doing it to muddle the investigation? Well, we cannot really fathom what is in his heart and mind, but his move is highly suspicious.
With the series of killings among local officials, the town’s peace and order situation is very volatile. Tension grips the town and a worst-case scenario of further violence might happen anytime. Although, there are no reports of presence of armed men or goons identified by political camps, but these pre-election killings may be a prelude to a worst-case scenario. With this present development, authorities should not only place the town on yellow or orange alert, but to the level of “immediate concern” or recommend the town being placed under Comelec control.
Once an area is under Comelec control, the commission exercises full control and supervision over national and local law enforcement agencies, as well as military officers and men assigned or deployed in the political division, subdivision, unit or area concerned. Although, the Comelec has set some guidelines or grounds before an area is placed under its control. Under Comelec Resolution 8734, which was promulgated last December 2009, one of the criteria and requirements is the presence of armed men and paramilitary forces who may pose “serious armed threats.” But do we still wait for more violence to happen? Why not come up with precautionary measures? The series of killings and ambushes is a sign that the town’s peace and order situation is deteriorating. As they say: “An ounce on prevention is worth a pound of cure.”