Who wanted him dead?
Police investigators are looking into several angles into Thursday’s fatal shooting of Hinakpan Barangay Capt.Leudigario Gargoles Binera of Guihulngan, and the wounding of his two companions.
Acting Provincial Police Director Sr. Supt. Henry Biñas told the MetroPost he has asked the new Police Chief of Guihulngan to check the background of Binera for his alleged affiliation to the Communist New People’s Army.
Hinakpan is a village close to Magsaysay, where suspected Communist terrorists ambushed and killed on July 21 the Guihulngan Police Chief and five other policemen, and wounded three other police personnel and a civilian.
Also, the Provincial Police Director has asked police investigators to do a trace of the victim’s prior activities and whether he had some arguments or personal enemies.
Another angle to be considered in the investigation is the possible link between the ambush-slay of the Guihulngan policemen and Binera’s murder because of the geographical location of Hinakpan, Biñas said.
These barangays are “infiltrated with the NPA” and without being explicit, the Provincial Police Director said it appears that some people are seeking justice for the dead and wounded policemen.
“Sometimes the NPA would engage in treacherous ways to get the sympathy of the people,” Biñas said.
According to him, a certain businessman was killed allegedly by the NPA a few years ago in Hinakpan for alleged land-grabbing.
Asked if most, or if not all of the shooting incidents in recent weeks in Guihulngan were related, Sr. Supt. Biñas said there appears to be a pattern of retribution and retaliation but he did not elaborate.
He appealed to the families of the slain police personnel to let the wheels of justice turn.
Biñas disclosed that some family members of the slain policemen have been receiving threats in recent days.
In fact, one person appeared at his office on Wednesday asking for assistance after receiving threats through text messaging.
Sr. Supt. Biñas said he has offered the use of the Negros Oriental Philippine National Police Provincial Office camp as temporary refuge for those who are under threat.
Binera, 40, was shot dead while his two companions, Alan de Asis and Angelito Villarmente, were wounded by unidentified riding-in-tandem suspects in barangay Tinayunan, Guihulngan, some 114 kilometers from Dumaguete City, Thursday morning.
The suspect escaped using a motorcycle, whose driver was seen waiting for him.
Recovered from the crime scene were six pieces of caliber .45 fired cartridges. (Judy Flores Partlow)