Barely a month before the May 13 elections, re-electionist Mayor Melecio Yap of Escalante City is facing another tough challenge, with his alleged implication in a series of extrajudicial killings that happened in the city.

Luke Espiritu, counsel of the widows of the victims, yesterday said they are filing a murder charge against Yap and company today, in connection with the killings in Escalante since 2007.

With the filing of murder charges, Espiritu said, “We may put an immediate stop to the killings”.

In reply to the accusations, Yap said he welcomed the charges to be filed against him, so that he can clear his name in the proper forum. At the same time, Yap also said he will file counter-charges against those fabricating accusations against him.

Lawyer Dan Pondevilla questioned the motive for the filing of charges against Yap. Why only now, when the election is about to happen? Pondevilla asked.

Espiritu, who met with the widows and family members of the victims, said the culture of impunity in Escalante is too much already. “The government has to intervene now, replace the policemen and place Escalante under Comelec control”, he added.

Widows of the victims have asked Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas to immediately act on the findings on extrajudicial killings submitted by the Task Force Escalante to the DILG last year.

Espiritu denied claims the filing of the charges against Yap, a supporter of gubernatorial candidate Genaro Alvarez Jr., was politically-motivated.

He claimed that majority of the victims were supporters of Escalante mayoral candidate Santiago Barcelona, and not even one from the camp of Yap.

However, numerous killings in Escalante had been claimed by the New People's Army Jean Pelle Command.

Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr., an ally of Barcelona, described the killings in Escalante, which rose to 26, as worst than the Maguindanao massacre.

The Maguindanao incident happened only once, but the Escalante killings have been going on for a long time, Marañon said.

Yap dismissed as “unfair to Escalantehanons” the statement of Marañon, comparing Escalante to Maguindanao.

He maintained that the incidents in Escalante were insurgency-related, citing the statements of Major General Jose Mabanta, 3 rd Infantry Division commander.

Why is he (Governor Marañon) frequently visiting Escalante, if the place is not peaceful? Yap asked. It is because he is afraid to lose, he added.

Pondevilla said “We all know that the problem of Escalante is insurgency-related, which is a national problem”.

Espiritu also claimed that militiamen are now penetrating villages and hinterland barangays of Escalante, to liquidate 15 more individuals.

If they have information on it, Pondevilla said “Why not report it to the military or police, if it is true?”

Escalante City, which is on the COMELEC watchlist, falls under Category 1, where employment of private armed groups by candidates and intense political rivalry, are likely to occur.

In 2011, the National Police Commission stripped Yap of his supervisory power over the local police, following allegations that he was sympathetic to the NPA, and because of the occurrence of alleged extrajudicial and unsolved killings in Escalante.

Yap vehemently denied the allegations.*GPB

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