PNP chief says 4 cops executed in front of villagers

PNP chief says 4 cops executed in front of villagers

PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) Chief Oscar Albayalde said the four slain police officers in Negros Oriental were executed in front of villagers and may have also been tortured as evidenced by their "deformed" faces.

Albayalde said the chairman of Barangay Mabato in Ayungon, Negros Oriental could also face murder charges along with the 11 identified New People's Army (NPA) fighters who were suspected of killing the four officers.

He said a report that reached them said the armed group had gathered the villagers and executed the four police officers in their presence.

He also said there were signs that his men were tortured before they were killed due to their "deformed" faces.

“Ang report sa amin is ginrupo ‘yung mga nakatira mga taga barangay at sa harap nila in-execute itong apat na pulis,” he said.

Albayalde said he was advised by the regional director of the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas, which has jurisdiction over Negros Oriental, that the barangay captain is not off the hook yet.

“According to the regional director, ‘yung barangay captain doon is not off the hook kasi based on the investigation lumalabas na not necessarily he participated doon sa nangyari but definitely meron syang knowledge doon sa presence ng mga armed group and that time from dumating ‘yung mga tao na yun na kinakausap pa nya ‘yung 4 na pulis na yun from 7:30 a.m., kumain pa ng lunch yata sa kanya and then pinatay sila around 2:30 p.m.,” he said.

“That's a very long time para hindi nya alam na may nangyari doon sa lugar na yun,” he added.

Albayalde said they have identified the 11 suspected NPA members who perpetrated the crime, based on information provided by the community.

“We have identified at least 11 of them and some are John Does. Surely we will be filing charges against them,” Albayalde said in a press conference in Camp Crame Tuesday, July 23.

The PNP chief said President Rodrigo Duterte’s offer of reward money amounting to P1 million for the arrest of the suspect and another P300,000 for their killing will be a big help.

He said, however, that the PNP is duty-bound to go after the killers especially that the victims were policemen.

“Siguro ang kagandahan doon ma-enganyo ‘yung mga taumbayan to come out and speak dahil alam namin na maraming nakakita rito because our policemen were executed right in front of the barangay folks there,” he said.

The four junior officers who were killed in Sitio Ilaya Yamot, Barangay Mabato in Ayungon town on July 18, 2019 were Corporal Relebert Beronio and Patrolmen Raffy Callao, Roel Cabellon and Marquino de Leon.

They belonged to the 704 Mobile Force Company of the 7th Regional Mobile Force Battalion (RMFB), which is stationed in Poblacion, Mabinay, Negros Oriental.

The PNP has condemned the gruesome crime and vows to seek justice for their slain members. (SunStar Philippines)

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