MANILA, Philippines — At least 11 police officers of Ronda town in Cebu, including the station commander, have been relieved from their posts in connection with the killing of Mayor Mariano Blanco III.
“It doesn’t mean we are blaming them. We are just doing this administratively to determine if there were police lapses,” Chief Superintendent Debold Sinas, Central Visayas police director, said yesterday.
Only two police officers were at the Ronda police station, which is walking distance from the municipal hall, where Blanco was shot dead by unidentified men who stormed his office while he was sleeping at around 1:30 a.m on Wednesday, according to Senior Police Officer 1 Dionisio Tagopa.
The two police officers, who were not identified, reportedly did not immediately respond when two municipal employees, who served as watchmen at the municipal hall, sought assistance.
The police officers said they did not hear gunshots, and waited for their colleagues who went out to serve warrants of arrest.
The town has only 21 police officers. Twelve were on duty when Blanco was killed.
A task force led by Senior Superintendent Manuel Abrugena, Cebu police director, was created to investigate the killing.
Blanco’s daughter Ann said their family has yet to decide if they would ask the National Bureau of Investigation to conduct a parallel probe.
Blanco, who is included in President Duterte’s narco list, was the fourth mayor killed this year, after Lowell Irol of Buenavista, Bohol; Antonio Halili of Tanauan, Batangas, who was also tagged in the illegal drug trade, and Ferdinand Bote of General Tinio, Nueva Ecija.
Blanco’s nephew, Vice Mayor John Ungab, lawyer of suspected drug lord Kerwin Espinosa, was killed in an ambush last February.
New mayor
Meanwhile, Councilor Rocky Gabatan assumed the post vacated by Blanco.
The Sangguniang Bayan is still seeking the help of the Department of the Interior and Local Government on who will take over as vice mayor.
Second Councilor Jay-Ann Villalon-Cañete has resigned and migrated to the United States. She was replaced by her mother Angeline Villalon.
The third in rank is Councilor Jorge Llego. – Lorraine Mitzi Ambrad, Le Phyllis Antojado/The Freeman, Emmanuel Tupas