Kin of slain Lupon member seek justice vs policemen

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — The family of the Lupon Tagapamayapa member, who was shot dead by policemen in Calatrava, Negros Occidental on Friday, has sought for justice, and the Police Regional Office-6 yesterday encouraged them to file a formal complaint.

“If indeed there were lapses on the part of concerned police personnel, we will not tolerate it,” Superintendent Gilbert Gorero, PRO-6 spokesman said last night.

The policemen, members of the 61st Special Action Force (SAF) and the 3rd Provincial Mobile Force, were accused of being responsible for the death of Bolbet Leyte, a LuponTagapamayapa member of Barangay Laga-an in Calatrava.

The 42-year-old Leyte succumbed to multiple gunshot wounds, after he was shot allegedly by the police troopers, who initially reported the incident as an encounter with New People's Army rebels.

Leyte was declared dead on arrival at the Calatrava District Hospital, the town police said. “That is why we need a formal complaint to act and investigate the allegations,” Gorero said.

The victim's wife Alicia denied allegations that her husband was a member of the NPA. A .38-caliber revolver with three dud bullets and two live ammunition and a flashlight were recovered at the scene of incident.

The Leonardo Panaligan Command of the NPA, through its spokesman Ka JB Regalado, issued a statement condemning the incident, calling it another human rights violation perpetrated by the police's SAF.

Troopers of the SAF and the PMFC of the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOCPPO), were conducting a joint combat operations at Laga-an village when the engaged in a shootout with Leyte, who was later found to be a Lupon member and resident of the barangay.

Investigations of the Calatrava Police showed that Senior Inspector Eduardo Lambayong, commander of the 61st SAF, and his men first heard a group of men talking near a nipa hut in the area.

Chief Inspector Joel Batusbatusan, Calatrava Police chief, said in his report submitted to NOCPPO that while approaching the nipa hut, the policemen saw a man—carrying a flashlight and a .38-caliber revolver, coming out suddenly from the nipa hut, and fired at them, but his gun misfired.

This prompted the police troopers to return fire, hitting Leyte, who was killed, Batusbatusan said. The man was later identified by the Calatrava Police as Leyte, also a sugarcane field overseer of a certain Archel Suelto.

Lambayong also reported that some unidentified persons scampered away from the scene of incident immediately during the shooting. (FREEMAN)