Mindanao mayors seek Duterte’s help vs killings

DAVAO CITY, Philippines — Members of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) Mindanao cluster have sought the help of President Duterte following the recent spate of killings of local government officials.

Over 280 municipal mayors of Mindanao met with the Chief Executive last night at the SMX Convention Center of SM Lanang Premier. They said the attacks scared them.

The group condemned “in strongest terms” the series of killings and violence perpetrated against mayors, vice mayors and councilors in various parts of the country. 

A number of those interviewed by The STAR said they would ask Duterte to return their power over the police, which was earlier taken over by the National Police Commission after reports of abuses by local government officers surfaced.

“Where can you find a police officer acting as if he is higher than the mayor? We want the supervision of local police returned to the mayors,” an LMP member said.

Aside from this, Mayor Conrado Laza of Hagonoy town in Davao del Sur revealed that the issue on the killings of local officials was discussed at the meeting. 

“Our country is governed by laws and not upon the caprices of men. If some people believe that their elected officials have committed an offense, they should bring their grievances to the courts, which has the power to determine the guilt of erring officials and impose the corresponding penalty. The rule of law mandates that man should not take the law into one’s own hands or he will become a criminal himself, punishable according to law,” an LMP statement said.

The town mayors also appealed to the Philippine National Police and the National Bureau of Investigation to step up their investigations on the killings and bring the perpetrators to justice. 

“We should put a stop to the apparent emerging culture of violence in the country. We also urge our people to be vigilant and report to authorities any suspicious activities of people in the community,” the LMP added. 

Killed recently were mayors Antonio Halili of Tanauan City in Batangas and Ferdinand Bote of General Tinio town in Nueva Ecija, as well as vice mayors Alexander Lubigan of Trece Martires in Cavite and Al Rashid Mohammad Ali of Sapa-sapa town, Tawi-tawi. 

Meanwhile, the police have identified the owner of the black Toyota Hilux pickup truck believed to have been used in Lubigan’s and his aide’s murder last Saturday and left abandoned on a bridge in Maragondon town in Cavite.

An investigator told The STAR that the owner, whom he refused to identify, could not be located at the last known address.Chief Insp. Chito Macaspac, Cavite police spokesman, said the vehicle would be subjected to DNA exam as he pointed out that initial investigation revealed that the engine and chassis numbers were erased. The vehicle also lacks conduction sticker and plate number. – With Ed Amoroso