Canlusong violence

One wonders whether the police is really after putting a stop to the violence that has gripped Barangay Canlusong of E.B. Magalona the past few months.

Shortly after the establishment of a detachment there, even Merriam Porras has noted that officials have not exerted efforts in addressing the peace and order problem there.

And, the funny thing, even Provincial Police chief Allan Guisihan has not expressed his concern over the inability of the detachment to address the local problem of stop the killings there.

Surprisingly, already six persons, including three kagawads were killed in the remote Magalona barangay.

And, worse, several kagawads have evacuated from the area and have sought refuge from their relatives in the lowlands.

Julie Devero and two others farmers, reportedly Michael Celeste and Gerald Alabe were abducted last year by a group of armed men who have remained unidentified as of now.

Worse, their fate remains unknown. Are they dead?

Lately, Victorias City police chief Alexander Munoz was the only one who had come out with a statement declaring that they already have a lead to the suspect in the case, unfortunately, the lone witness is afraid to give a statement to the police, although he knows the suspect.

That incident, however, involved Rogelio Seva, 55, an uncle of murder suspect Mama Seva shot dead by two unidentified gunmen in Hacienda Loreta; Brgy. 13 of Victorias City.

But the most serious was the burning last Feb. 19 of three houses owned by the family of three suspects in the killings in Canlusong.

The fact that the Commission on Human Rights has urged the police and the army to stop the evidence in the area shows there must be a reason to suspect that the perpetrate of this program of Canlusong residents must be enjoying official protection.

Are they really RPA-ABB? The group, however, had vehemently denied having had a hand in the killings. Or the effort to drive off the barangay residents.

While that may have be have a ring of truth to it, that fact that a drop in timber poaching there may have really something to do with the series of killings.

Are the police keeping a blind eye to what is going on in Canlusong hoping the residents there will come down eventually for fear of their lives?

Stranger still is that Guisihan, who is often quick to come out with the names of suspects and claims that they are still being hunted by the police seems to have remained tight lipped lately.

Is this a war of attrition against timber poaching?

Or is somebody really big moving toward controlling eventually the timber-poaching business in Canlusong?

One does not want to hit the police. But their continued inability to solve the killings there can lead to speculations that something is really amiss with the handling by the police of the Canlusong problem.

***

So, when are the remains of former Rep. Ignacio Arroyo Jr. (Neg. Occ., 5th District) finally arriving in the Philippines?

I have been watching, like, I suppose, a lot of Negrenses, for the announcement as to specific date for the return of his remains from London where the solon had died about month ago.

Until yesterday, I have not monitored the latest announcement from the lawyers of both Grace Ibuna and Aleli Arroyo, the two contending “wives” of Arroyo on the schedule of repatriation of his remains.

His family has been left hanging in the air by the sudden hitches in the return of Iggy’s body to the Philippines.

Aleli, who claims to be the legal wife of Arroyo, had refused to pay the fabulous amount to the London Mortuary, the legal fees of the solicitor (lawyer) and other expenses because she did not recognize the jurisdiction of the UK court over a case involving Arroyo, a Filipino official.

Last minute hitches in the processing of the documents involved was reportedly mentioned as the cause.

Strange that with the Philippine Embassy reportedly helping, Iggy’s body has been delayed in London.

I supposed that Iggy’s wealth may have been dissipated if the reason for the delay in the amount of pounds needed to redeem his remains.

I suppose the Arroyo family has enough resources to pay for the redemption of Iggy’s remains unless another complication has been encountered in the agreement between Aleli and Grace over their tiff on who should receive the remains of Iggy.

I suspect that the London yellow sheets must already be carrying the story in London. An embarrassment to the Philippines.*

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