The Philippine National Police in Negros Oriental is set to create a Special Investigation Task Group to look into the mysterious death of a couple in Barangay Tacpao, Guihulngan City, whose children claimed were burned to death by the military.
Sr. Supt. Dionardo Carlos stressed if there is a need to create the SITG, he will do it even with his limited powers as OIC of the Negros Oriental Provincial Police Office.
Carlos wanted the entire report of the incident on the death of the couple, while mulling the idea of asking the Negros Oriental Criminal Investigation & Detection Group and other support units of the police to conduct a deeper investigation into the incident.
He made it clear that as OIC provincial police director, he is very particular with his limitations, but with marching orders from Gov. Roel Degamo, Carlos said he may have to form the SITG, and help investigate the case and bring the perpetrators to court.
On the eve of the fiesta of Guihulngan City on May 24, , the Calago couple in Tacpao was reported shot and burned to death by unidentified suspects wearing military uniforms.
They were identified later as Rosalie Calago, a barangay health worker, and her husband Endric, who is a last termer barangay kagawad of Tacpao.
In a press briefing Wednesday with members of the Promotion of Church Peoples Response headed by Fr. Nenito Narciso, the couple’s children, namely, Reslie and Erlie Calago, claimed that their parents were shot and burned to death by the soldiers belonging to the 11th IB in what they described as “overkill”.
They said they could not think of anybody with an axe to grind against their parents.
Earlier charges were filed against their father Endric who was the vice chair of the Kaugmaon group of farmers in Guihulngan. Erlie said those charges had been dismissed.
She recalled that on May 7 this year, a strafing incident occurred in their barangay, and her parents wanted it recorded in the police blotter. On May 13, a fact-finding mission was sent to the area to validate alleged human rights violations and by May 21, the Calago couple were invited to the regular session of the Sangguniang Panglungsod in Guihulngan to shed light on the allegations of human rights violations.
They were killed three days after.
According to the children, their aunt Marcela Madronero, who lives about 50 meters away, had heard shouts for help from their mother who was screaming, “Tabang! Naay mga Army diri!” (Help! The Army is here!) Moments later, fire engulfed their house, and they heard bursts of gunfire.
The children has called on President Aquino to give justice to the killing of their parents, even as they are left with no house, no livelihood, only neighbors who have comforted them.
Erlie, who just graduated from high school, would have wanted to go to college but could not proceed due the death of her parents. “At my age, I need guidance from my parents but I am not ready without them. Please help us,” she appealed to reporters during the press conference. (PNA)
