Independent probe sought on Baldomero slay
The Makabayang Koalisyon ng Mamamayan is seeking the creation of an independent body that will investigate the murder of Aklan militant leader Fernando Baldomero, also a councilor of Lezo town.
“We are happy that government agencies like the Philippine National Police are exerting effort that justice will be served. However, we expect that the resolution of the Baldomero slay will not be solely entrusted to the Police Regional Office 6,” Siegfred Deduro, Makabayan vice chairperson for the Visayas, said in a statement.
The PRO-6 has created two teams under the Special Investigation Task Group Baldomero to investigate the killing last July 5.
The SITG Baldomero is led by Senior Supt. Epifanio Bragais Jr., Aklan provincial police director. The Aklan provincial government has also raised a P500,000 reward money to anyone who can provide information that will lead to the identification and arrest of the killers.
Deduro, however, said the Arroyo government also formed task forces to resolve the cases of killings of activists and mediamen but these did not produce substantial results for the resolution of the cases.
“We maintain our demand that cases of extra-judicial killings must be part of the agenda of the Truth Commission of President Noynoy Aquino,” he added.
He said their group believes that activists and members of progressive partylists who are in the legal democratic mass movement become easy prey of the government’s counter-insurgency program Oplan Bantay Laya II.
“We hope that the Aquino government will take a serious step in resolving cases like the Baldomero slay and create an independent body to investigate it,” Deduro said.
