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Bacolod City, PhilippinesWednesday, May 16, 2012
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with Rolly Espina
OPINIONS

Guns-for-hire in Neg. Occ.?

Rolly Espina

The National Bureau of Investigation is looking into an influential group in Southern Negros that may have been involved in the murder of Kabankalan Regional Trial Court Judge Henry Arles.

The NBI said the suspects in the murder of Judge Arles may have been guns-for-hire. In short, the alleged influential group has been responsible in contracting these gun-for-hire to eliminate Arles.

That seems an afterthought. I think the principal consideration is to first determine who are the members of the hired goons operating in the province. And there seems be reason to suspect that such a gang operates in the province.

It is not the mastermind that should warrant immediate attention, it is precisely what the NBI considers is a reality that guns-for-hire are in the province. In short, the alleged masterminds of Arles killing must have known long before hand that such gangs exist in the south and just waiting for a chance to earn money.

This is a matter that should also attract the police to look into. There have recently been a spate of violent incidents that could, more or less, be attributed to hired guns.

Their modus operandi is already established. A shot on the head or other vital parts of the body and usually one or two shots are needed to kill the intended victim.

If more of these hired guns are caught, most likely it will be easier for both the police and the NBI to be able to track down the masterminds.

Why not concentrate on the roundup of the guns-for-hire?

***

Negrenses, to a certain extent, must thank the authorities for easing their anxiety on how to meet the escalating cost of living.

First, there was the decrease by 50 centavos of the jeepney fare. That is a boom to many parents of schoolchildren, most of them facing the prospects of not being able to go to school with the opening of classes soon.

Then, insofar as the thousands of employees of the provincial government, their cash gift of P2,500 was given yesterday by the Negros Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon, Jr. and Vice Governor Lim-ao Alvarez in addition to their mid-year bonus.

That proves a boon to the employees of the provincial government.

Now, let’s just hope and pray that the price of fuel does not rise abruptly in the forthcoming weeks and complicate the problems of parents and marginalized families.

Meanwhile, we can thank the government for having taken advantage of the situation in the cutting down the fare hike by 50 centavos.

Of course, one cannot congratulate the government for reacting to the lower fuel prices, but that is something one can be thankful for. At least, this once, it has helped ease problems of parents and students who are about to enroll for the next school year.

****

The daily crowd that visits the wake of Dr. Andres Gumban at the Rolling Hills memorial chapels shows that he was a popular figure among Bacolodnons.

In effect, it also shows what the horror his death meant for them. For Dr. Gumban who was always known as a kind person, one who was always ready to help others.

My late wife, Dr. Lourdes L. Espina, was the director of the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital where Gumban was practicing in his younger years.

Nene always had a kind attitude toward him. For Gumban was a physician who was always called on for help.

But the unkindest cut was reported by the police that his alleged killers may actually had robbery in mind also when they attacked the physician.

Bacolod City Police director Ricardo de la Paz confirmed yesterday that the items missing at the Gumban residence were an IPod, a necklace, a wrist watch and P50,000 in cash.

“And, knowing his taste for expensive watches, I just wonder what was the missing watch. It must have been worth its weight in gold,” de la Paz said.

That’s why it is imperative for the police to determine whether the two teenagers really had confederates other than just themselves when they attacked Gumban, he added.

It is common reality that when teenagers are involved in a crime, they normally are only used as decoys by adult handlers. It is very unlikely that they can, on their own, have thought of the killing of Gumban without the cooperation of adults.

That’s good too for thought for the police to look into.

***

All eyes will be focused on the close fight between Binalbagan Mayor Alejandro “Bebot” Mirasol and his nephew Board Member Emilio Yulo for the fifth district of Negros Occidental. Our survey shows that Bebot is leading, said Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. The UNA has thrown its support behind Mirasol.

But I also have my own watchers who have been keeping tabs on Yulo. The latter, having been several times voted as provincial board member and served once as vice governor is no easy match for Mirasol.

In short, as pointed out to me by a friend who has been in close watch over the district, that may “spring a surprise.” He said Yulo had gone around the district, long before the announcement on the election was issued.

It a close contest that still could go one way or the other.*


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