By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Four slain Ayungon Municipal Police Station police officers were posthumously awarded after President Rodrigo Duterte and Philippine National Police (PNP) Director-General Oscar Albayalde visited the wake over the weekend in Sibulan, Negros Oriental.

Duterte awarded Police Corporal Relebert Beronio and Police Patrolmen Raffy Callao, Ruel Cabellon, and Marquino de Leon with the Order of Lapu-Lapu rank of Kalasag Medal. While Albayalde awarded the four with PNP medals of merit.

In a press conference following the visit, Albayalde said they will closely investigate the incident and stated, “Someone should be held responsible for the murders.”

Police Regional Office-7 (PRO-7) director, Police Brigadier General Debold Sinas, said, based on their follow-up investigation, the four officers were supposed to meet-up with a certain Victoriano Anadon. However, Sinas said they learned Anadon may have alleged links with the New People’s Army (NPA) and suspected he was the one who tipped off the insurgents.

The victims, while posing as officials from the Department of the Environment and Natural Resources and carrying seedlings on their motorcycles, were tasked with gathering intelligence on a wanted NPA rebel and serve an arrest warrant.

During the ambush, the four were ordered to dismount their motorcycles, hogtied, and tortured by around 30 to 40 insurgents before being shot in the head.

Sinas added, Anadon is now considered as a person of interest and may face conspiracy charges for his alleged part in the murders.

He also noted, the local barangay captain for the town’s Barangay Mabato could also be held liable after  failing to inform authorities that his area had a high presence of rebel activity./DGB, WDJ