The Philippine National Police Regional Office-7 has ordered police investigators throughout the region for a review and update of unsolved shooting incidents in their respective areas of jurisdiction.
This was confirmed by Supt. Jovito Atanacio, police chief of Dumaguete City, in his message during the indignation rally Tuesday evening as initiated by Negros Oriental lawyers in protest against the murder of a lawyer who was shot and killed in broad daylight in front of the Regional Trial Court branch in Bayawan City last Sept. 29.
As per directive of PRO-7 regional director Chief Supt. Prudencio Tom Bañas, all investigators on case will be sent to Cebu on Oct. 20 in time for the review the following day. They will bring along with them case folders of shooting incidents in their respective areas of jurisdictions.
The order came amidst criticisms on the capability and ability of the police to give justice to shooting victims, the latest of which was Atty. Ramon Eduardo Elesteria, along with other shooting incidents in Dumaguete City which as of last count is already more than 20 as of September this year.
Most of the victims of shooting incidents in Dumaguete City were either drug personalities or police assets per records of the police.
Members of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines-Negros Oriental chapter headed by Atty. Cyrus Riconalla welcomed the pronouncements made by Supt. Atanacio for the possibility of reopening the case of the late Atty. Archer Baldwin Martinez who was killed in 2011 yet and the rest of the cases involving lawyers, to include that of Atty. Eleazar Casipong who was handling agrarian reform cases, Judge Orlando Velasco who was killed in 2007 and Atty. Manolo Zerna.
Police investigators will be asked about the progress of the cases they are handling due to observations they are kept in the cold files especially when new shooting incidents occur.
This developed as lawyers, who participated in the indignation rally Tuesday evening at the Ninoy Aquino Freedom Park in this capital city took turns in urging the police to present results and not just merely saying they have leads but face a dilemma as to persons who will stand as witnesses.
This has happened all the time, according to former Dumaguete City Vice Mayor Alan Cordova, a lawyer, who said that the IBP and the public should not be deceived in the language of politics and bureaucracy and be satisfied when told that the police is doing everything. He said the IBP should take the next steps.
Cordova, who said he was victim of a shooting incident 15 years ago while a student of law, said that statistically, lawyering is the most dangerous profession because more lawyers were killed than policemen.
He recalled that a reward was allotted then for information leading to the identification of the killers of Atty. Martinez and that Task Force Archer was formed. However, until now, the IBP-Negros Oriental chapter has not seen any results, and eventually, efforts to seek justice for his death had waned.
Cordova is still optimistic justice will be served, adding he would not want to see the day when they will meet again in the next indignation rally.
Another shooting victim who survived the assault also spoke during the indignation rally.
Atty. Victoriano Alabastro, then the number one city councilor of Bayawan City, survived the attack on June 24, 2011 after he had just left his class at the Negros Oriental State University- Bayawan campus.
Up to now, the case is in court while the culprits are in jail but his movement is very limited and he does not have the freedom to just roam around.
For Bayawan City Vice Mayor Dan Aurelia, this is not about the triggermen, but this is about the mastermind because of greed of power. He did not however, elaborate.
He lamented the fact that Atty Elesteria was executed in broad daylight in front of the Regional Trial court branch in Bayawan City which he said is a slap on their face. Aurelia is asking the help of the IBP Negros Oriental chapter to do what it can so justice can be served to at least three of the lawyers who were killed in Bayawan City. (PNA/JFP Juancho Gallarde)
