THE Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office (Norppo) has created a Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) to probe the murder of Councilor Paulo Edison Dela Rita in Guihulngan City.
The group composed of Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG)–Negros Oriental, Provincial Intelligence Branch, Provincial Crime Laboratory, Provincial Investigation Branch, and the investigation team of Guihulngan City Police Station was headed by Senior Superintendent Edwin Portento, Norppo director.
The New People’s Army (NPA) stressed they have nothing to do with the killing of the councilor,
Portento said the task group had a meeting Tuesday to discuss the possible angles of the incident.
“We are also looking into his prior records as he already survived three attempts on his life in 2016 and 2017,” he added.
Portento said they are also planning to review the closed circuit television cameras near the area, hoping to identify the perpetrators.
On April 2, Dela Rita was on his way home, on board a motorcycle, when he was waylaid by the armed men.
The assailants, who were wearing helmet and jacket, fired at the victim several times and fled on board a motorcycle.
In July 2017, Dela Rita also survived an attempt on his life after he was also ambushed by suspected rebels in the city that resulted to the death of Superintendent Arnel Arpon, former city police chief, and five other policemen who responded to his call for assistance.
The councilor’s driver was also killed.
The Negros Oriental top cop also said that they are not discounting the possibility that the same gunmen committed the crime.
They are hoping to have a good lead on the investigation soon.
Meanwhile, NPA’s Leonardo Panaligan Command admitted they have targeted Dela Rita before, citing the ambush they perpetrated last year as they accused the councilor of being corrupt.
However, they said the councilor, after the 2017 ambush, mended his ways.