Cops probed over slay of Digos village chief
DIGOS CITY—The chief of police here and 21 intelligence officers will be subjected to a paraffin test to find out whether they fired their service weapons on Tuesday night, when the village chief of Tres de Mayo was shot and killed in his house.
According to Police Maj. Catherine dela Rey, spokesperson for the Davao regional police, Police Lt. Col. Peter Glenn Ipong, acting chief of Digos City police, and all its intelligence officers are being investigated in connection to the killing of Oscar Bucol.
Apart from serving as Tres de Mayo village chief, Bucol dished out hard-hitting commentaries through his Facebook page, which has 300,000 followers, criticizing local politicians, including the city’s police chief.
Bucol’s murder was captured on his Facebook Live at 9:27 p.m. on Tuesday while he was on broadcast in his house’s garage, entertaining a resident who reported about a lost wallet. The village official barely finished his sentence when his cry of pain was heard off camera, shortly after the first shot rang out.
As the resident he interviewed stood up and scampered for cover, Bucol was seen on camera bloodied and holding his back where he was hit. He then retreated off camera again, crying for help with a weakening voice.
Bucol, who had a single bullet wound, died while being taken to a private hospital in this city.
Relieved
Police Brig. Gen. Leon Victor Rosete, Davao regional police director, announced the relief of Ipong in a press briefing at the Davao del Sur provincial capitol on Wednesday.
Rosete said they had to relieve Ipong to avoid hampering the ongoing investigation into the village chief’s murder.
Bucol, a close ally and follower of former Vice Gov. Marc Cagas IV, previously figured in a verbal exchange with Ipong and other local politicians whom he criticized live on his Facebook page.
A total of P2 million in reward money had been raised for information that could lead to the arrest of Bucol’s killers and the mastermind behind the murder.
Of the amount, P1 million was provided by Davao del Sur Gov. Yvonne Cagas and her husband Marc; while another P1 million will come from Vice President Sara Duterte, according to lawyer Israelito Torreon, who represents the Bucol family.
Condemnation
Duterte on Thursday condemned the killing of Bucol and vowed to “protect the rights” of all Filipinos to voice out their criticisms.
In a statement, the Vice President expressed her sympathies to Bucol’s family and the community that the village leader had left.
“Captain Dodong only utilized his right and freedom to speak out against corruption and about politics, and he was silenced with a gun and a bullet,” said Duterte, whose father’s presidency was also marked by alleged rights abuses and multiple killings and silencing of critics.
Marc Cagas described Bucol as a cheerful person who loved to help people.
Bucol, he said, had just delivered relief goods to the typhoon-hit Cebu province and had spent three to five days traveling by land to reach out to calamity survivors.
Police Lt. Col. Venus Ortuyo, the deputy provincial director for administration of the Davao del Sur police, takes over Ipong’s post as Digos police chief, according to the regional police. —WITH REPORTS FROM DEMPSEY REYES AND FAITH ARGOSINO
