THE Police Regional Office (PRO)-Davao on May 5, 2022, said the killing of a barangay captain in Digos City is not election-related.
PRO-Davao Spokesperson Police Major Atty. Eudisan Gultiano said the death of barangay captain Angelito Balasbas is not an election-related incident according to the committee of the Philippine National Police (PNP) on validating election-related incidents.
“Wala po, hindi siya considered na election-related incident (It is not considered an election-related incident),” Gultiano said.
The investigation into the death of Barangay San Jose captain Balasbas is currently ongoing and as per Gultiano, the police have already identified possible leads.
“Hindi ko lang nakuha ngayon kung na i-file na ba ang kaso pero meron na tayo identified na mga personalities,” she said.
(I do not have the update if the case has already been filed but we have identified personalities.)
Gultiano further said some of the parameters for an election-related incident must involve an official election candidate or their immediate family, or a staunch supporter of a political party or candidate.
At the same time, the incident must also be considered to be disruptive to the electoral process.
“Kinahanglan ang insidente ay maka-disrupt sa electoral process... eh sa ngayon under control pa natin ang sitwasyon. Under control pa ng PNP... Kaya hindi hindi natin ma-consider na election-related incident iyon,” she said.
(The incident should be considered disruptive to the electoral process but right now the PNP has it under control. So we do not consider it an election-related incident.)
Balasbas was shot dead outside his home last April 27 and, as of April 29, Digos City Mayor Josef Cagas has posted a bounty of P1 million from the City Government to anyone who can provide information on the killer.
"No cause or reason can justify such a senseless and brutal attack on a public servant whose heart and soul bleeds genuine concern for his constituents," Cagas said.
PRO-Davao also said in April that the shooting of two Davao Oriental personalities is also not an election-related incident.
These were the deaths of Matiao Barangay Captain Ronnie Valera who was shot inside his residence on April 13, and political blogger Danilo Lumikid Jr. who was shot on April 1 while driving his motorcycle.
Gultiano said these incidents may be seen as election-related by the public but clarifies otherwise.
With this, PRO-Davao maintained 16 municipalities in Davao del Sur and Davao de Oro under the election watchlist areas.
These are Sta. Cruz, Matanao, Magsaysay, Malalag, Hagonoy, Padada, New Corella, and Monkayo under the Yellow Category of election areas of concern, and the municipalities of Kiblawan, Lupon, Mabini, Maco, Maragusan, Montevista, New Bataan and Pantukan under the Orange Category of immediate areas of concern.
“Kaya lang natin (tinutukan) ang Davao del Sur is because of intense political rivalry,” Gultiano said. She also assured that there are no suspicious election-related activities in Davao de Oro based on their monitoring.