by Miriam G. Desacada
Tacloban City–,The Leyte Police Provincial Office (LPPO) on Monday (March 4) activated the Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) “Daja Diot” to investigate thoroughly the killings in San Isidro, Leyte where three barangay officials of Brgy Daja Diot and a civilian were gunned down by four unidentified armed men who barged into the barangay hall and gunned down the four victims who were working overtime late night of February 24.
The fatalities were Daja Diot Brgy Captain Elizalde Tabon, kagawad Paul Mandero, and tanod Rusty Salazar, who all died on the spot. The fourth one, a civilian, Alex Bacor, was wounded but succumbed while being treated at a hospital. The gunmen sped off the crime scene to an undisclosed location, and were yet to be identified, including the possible mastermind.
Police/Colonel Erwin Portillo, LPPO director, initiated the mobilization of the SITG, of which he is the commander himself, and named PRO-8 deputy regional director for operations, P/Col. Salvador Alacyang, as the SITG supervisor. The task force conference, attended by all of its members, was conducted at the LPPO’s headquarters in Kuta Kankabato, San Jose, Tacloban City.
Portillo said the SITG Daja Diot is tasked to conduct an exhaustive investigation into the ruthless killings of barangay officers, the motive of the killing, identities of the gunmen and the mastermind, as well as to determine the cause of violence that had broken peace and order in the 3rd district of Leyte.
Initial buzz from the public hinted at politics as the possible trigger of violence and killings in this part
of Leyte province, and this is the primal task of the SITG to verify and validate any clue that will lead to
the resolution of the case, said the police.
“The LPPO is committed to working tirelessly alongside other law enforcement agencies, local government units, and concerned stakeholders to ensure that justice is served and that the safety and well-being of every citizen in Leyte, especially in the 3rd District, are safeguarded,” declared Portillo.
Alacyang, for his part as the SITG supervisor, ordered every task force member to expedite the gathering of more pieces of evidence that will lead to the identification of the perpetrators. He also reminded them to intensify their coordination and collaborative efforts to resolve the case and give justice to the victims and their families.
To reinforce the task force, an augmentation group—consisting of troops from the Regional Mobile Force Battalion 8, Leyte Provincial Mobile Force Company, and the Philippine Army—had been deployed to the 3rd district and help in carrying out police operations, checkpoints and foot/mobile patrols around San Isidro town.
Portillo added that the various Barangay Intelligence Networks of the town were already mobilized also for the gathering of vital information from the relatives and acquaintances of the victims that may be connected to the murder incident.
The LPPO top official asked the public’s cooperation by contacting its Provincial Community Affairs and Development Unit for any information that would help in the SITG probe. —-Miriam G. Desacada