side-by-side’ with law enforcement

By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Following recent deadly attacks in Moises Padilla, Isabela Mayor Joselito Malabor recently expressed his lack of confidence with both the military and police, along with the leadership capabilities of Philippine Army 303rd Infantry Brigade commander, Brigadier General Benedict Arevalo.
“I no longer have any confidence with the army and police,” he declared in an interview over the weekend. “I want their [respective] higher headquarters to take a serious look into this issue.”
Alongside Arevalo, the mayor is also calling for Philippine Army 62nd Infantry Battalion commander, Lt. Colonel Egberto Dacoscos, to be relieved from duty, claiming they are working for Moises Padilla Mayor Magdaleno Peña.
He also asserted private armed groups in Moises Padilla are able to move “relatively unopposed,” surmising, they are working “side-by-side” with military and police.
Last year, following flare-ups with the New People’s Army in both towns, Malabor blamed the violence on Peña, claiming the killings are taking place due to tensions between the Moises Padilla mayor and the insurgent group.
The Isabela mayor said he was unable to discuss the issue with Negros Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon, Jr. when the latter was in the area following the murders of Moises Padilla town officials incumbent Councilor Michael Garcia and former Association of Barangay Captains President Mark Garcia. However, he believes, had the governor and Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office director, Police Colonel Romeo Baleros, not shown up, Moises Padilla Vice Mayor Ella Celestina Garcia-Yulo, who was campaigning with the two, and the rest of their party would have been “finished off.”
The mayor also expressed concern over the possible spillover of violence into his municipality, claiming, whenever there is a gun battle in Moises Padilla, they are using Isabela as an escape route.
He asserted, there are presently 30 private armed groups in the neighboring municipality, a majority of which are not from Negros Occidental as they only speak in Cebuano./DGB, WDJ