The Senate Committee on Public Order and the Committee on Local Governments will investigate the alleged use of "excessive force" by members of the Philippine National Police during a "violent assault" on the Iloilo provincial capitol on Wednesday, Senator Franklin Drilon, Liberal Party president, said yesterday.

Negros Occidental Gov. Joseph Marañon called the police action at the Iloilo Capitol "overkill", while Msgr. Victorino Rivas, vicar general of the Diocese of Bacolod, said it made the administration look like a "high-handed bully." Both officials said the situation could have been handled in a more diplomatic manner.

Senior Supt. Pedro Merced, 6th Regional Mobile Group commander, yesterday told the DAILY STAR his 65-man team from Negros entered the Iloilo Capitol Wednesday afternoon in "close quarter battle formation" because of information that persons inside the building were heavily armed.

CHR investigation starts;
Tupas to file raps vs. cops
BY NESTOR P. BURGOS JR.

ILOILO CITY -- The Commission on Human Rights is investigating Wednesday's armed assault on the Iloilo provincial capitol by policemen enforcing a dismissal order against Gov. Niel Tupas Sr., even as various groups and leaders condemned the attack.

Chris Montaño, manager of the promotion and linkages development division of the CHR in Western Visayas, said they are determining whether the assault force violated the rights of employees and supporters of Tupas and will file the appropriate charges against those found liable.

"Based on the television footages and news reports, we saw that the people were manhandled and forced to lie down by the policemen," Montaño said.

Give elected officials facing cases
due process, governors, ULAP ask
BY CARLA GOMEZ

The League of Provinces of the Philippines and Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines have passed resolutions calling for due process in the investigation and action taken on government elected officials, especially since the election period has already began, Bohol Gov. Erico Aumentado, president of both groups, said yesterday.

Aumentado told the DAILY STAR in a telephone interview that the calls in both resolutions were addressed to the Ombudsman, Department of Interior and Local Governments, Department of Justice and the Office of the President.