Calbayog massacre Samar gov offers P100T reward per arrested killer Miriam Garcia Desacada

TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines — Samar Governor Sharee Ann Tan Delos Santos the other day announced a P100,000  reward for each arrest of the nine suspects who massacred five persons and wounded two others at Barangay Victory in Calbayog City last September 15.

“Kami dito sa province are willing magbigay ng P100,000 per person na mahuhuli. We are supporting the police and the military, and hinding-hindi kami gagamit ng dahas. If we use violence then it would be like saying we are not confident of winning in the 2016 elections,” said Delos Santos.

The governor declared the reward offer immediately after the police formally filed the criminal complaint of two-counts of frustrated murder and five counts of murder against the nine suspects. The Calbayog City Prosecutors Office is now processing also the issuance of arrest warrants against them.

The nine suspects were identified as Arnold Belleza, Reynold Ylar, Alex Regulacion, Ernesto Nayangga, Edgar Balantino, Marlon Elbano , Danilo Elbano Sr., Michael Elbano Nallares and Danilo Elbano.

Samar Police Provincial Office Director, Senior Superintendent Elmer Pelobello, said the suspects were identified as members of a private armed group operating in the hinterlands of Calbayog, but it has yet to be determined if they were being maintained by a politician in Samar.

Investigators said the suspected killers were positively identified by the surviving victim Marlene Nayanga and other residents of Victory

Sonny Regulacion and four members of his family were massacred on September 15, while Wendy Manlayo and his common law wife Marlene were wounded in the incident.

Sonny was known as a supporter of a politician in Samar, but was also one of the suspects in the killing of Calbayog City’s Association of Barangay Councils president Justiniano Billeza on May 15.

Pelobello said the massacre’s motive may be due to the continuing dispute between two PAGs, Managaysay and Regulacion. “The tragic incident emanated from personal vendetta between these two PAGs, possibly used by some unscrupulous individuals,” he said in a report to the Police Regional Office-8.

PRO-8 Director, Chief Supt. Asher Dolina recently held a dialogue on the case with Major General Jet Villarmino, commander of the 8th Infantry Division, while the governor appealed to authorities to immediately arrest the suspects, as the provincial government will exert its support and effort to stop the killings in the province.

Also the other day, during the monthly conference of the Regional Law Enforcement Coordinating Council at the PRO-8, Dolina organized a Special Operations Group, headed by Senior Supt. Isiah Tonog, to work on the immediate neutralization of PAGs in Samar.

Calbayog City Mayor Ronald Aquino, for his part, challenged Delos Santos to also address the killings in other parts of Samar, such as in Catbalogan City, and the towns of Sta. Margarita, Matuginao and Gandara.

Aquino admitted he has not been enjoying a safe life himself as a mayor due to the many threats against him. “Not because I have enemies, but there were some people who are just interested to get my post,” he added. (FREEMAN)