Samar Police to solve recent extra-judicial slays in Samar

By ELI C. DALUMPINES, (PIA Samar)
August 14, 2006

CATBALOGAN, Samar   – In response to the calls of the top PNP leadership to solve the rising extra-judicial killings in the country, Samar PNP Director Supt. Asdali Idja Abah vowed to exhaust all efforts to bring to the courts the suspects of the recent spate of killings here.

Supt. Abah in an interview Friday said his men are already gathering documents and interviewing witnesses so that they can file charges to the suspects.

The case in Samar is, however, different since most of the victims were closely identified with the right and most were active supporters of the government’s anti-insurgency drive.

Last July 22, Gorgonio I. Gabane, Brgy. Captain of Casapa, Jiabong town, was gunned down by four suspected members of the New People’s Army (NPA) while on his way home from his farm in Casapa at around 4 pm.

Gabane, a former NPA leader, was actively supporting the clearing operations of the military during the short stint of MGen. Jovito Palparan here as Commanding General of the Army’s 8th Infantry Division. Gabane’s wife was with him when the incident happened.

On August 3, a farmer in Brgy. Inasodlan, Villareal town was shot dead by three armed men believed to be members of the NPA.

The following day, a barangay captain of Brgy. Bato, in Paranas, Alfredo Dacoag, was also killed by four suspected members of the Rebolusyunaryong Hukbong Bayan (RHB), a breakaway group of the NPA. One of the suspects was however identified.

Last Monday, August 7, Macario A. Cajefe, a resident of Brgy. Old Manunca, Sta. Rita town and an alleged informant of the military was shot by three suspected members of the NPA.

Supt. Abah admitted though that cases involving the communists NPAs usually take time to solve but he expressed confidence that with the support of the people, together with their wide intelligence network, the perpetrators will eventually be brought to court.

The Samar PNP Chief, meanwhile, informed that they now take an active part in the internal security operation (ISO) to address the country’s insurgency problem unlike before where they were only assigned a supportive role.

He said it is more likely that some of his men will again be engaged in combat operations against the communist insurgents but he clarified that theirs is only territorial, that is, they are limited only within their area of responsibility.