Zambo Norte bishop: Peace? Solve killings first

ZAMBOANGA DEL NORTE, Philippines – The Diocese of Dipolog has strongly condemned the series of unsolved extra-judicial killings in Zamboanga del Norte, especially in Dipolog City and Sindangan town, and urged the government to act on the cases.

Bishop Severo C. Caermare and priests in the diocese made the statement read in all masses celebrated in the diocese on Sunday, February 1.

“We cannot be at peace and remain indifferent with these occurrences of cases of killings,” they said.

Caermare, the youngest bishop in the Philippines, leads 71 priests in the diocese. He is known as the motorcycle-riding bishop who draws the faithful wherever he celebrates mass.

“For the people of God especially the families of the victims and those who choose to be silent because of fear, we are at your side, we feel your pain and we are one with you in prayer that justice be attained,” the diocese said in its statement.

The bishop and priests also appealed to the Philippine National Police (PNP), the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), and the Department of Justice (DOJ)  to continue upholding the rule of law and let the “wheels of justice run its course.”

They also urged government officials and all the laity to collaborate to help victims achieve justice and to stop extra-judicial killings, which “desecrate the basic dignity of life, the rule of law and the family.”

Probe

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima had earlier ordered the NBI to look into the spate of killings in the province.

Lawyer Sally Hans C. Barbaso, Agent-in-Charge of the NBI-Dipolog District Office, admitted they were in “limbo” on their investigation until December 5, 2014, when a known drug pusher and police asset, Arthur Barbaso, was, shot to death. 

The victim’s companion, Ronald Realiza – also a drug pusher and police asset – sought NBI protection, claiming that he could be the next target because he saw Barbaso’s killer.

Realiza told the NBI that the suspect is a non-regular employee of the Dipolog city government and assigned to work under a group of policemen tasked to fight the proliferation of drugs in the city.

On January 9, the local NBI office submitted to the Dipolog City Prosecutor their investigation report with recommendation for prosecution of the suspect in the killing of  Barbaso, a police officer and 3 John Does.

The NBI investigation report was later sent to the national office of the Justice Department. Almost a month later, Caermare and his priests issued the statement condemning the killings. – Rappler.com