THE regional chief of the Department of Interior and Local Government office in Southern Tagalog was critically injured after he was shot in front of his office in Calamba City Monday morning.
DILG Secretary Mel Senen Sarmiento condemned the attack against Renato Brion and ordered the National Police to investigate the case and hunt down those responsible for what he described as an “atrocious act.”
“The DILG is deeply saddened by this violent act perpetrated against a loyal and dedicated public servant who is due to retire in the next few months after several years of committed service to the people,” the department said in a statement.
“Rest assured that the DILG will leave no stone unturned until the perpetrators will be brought to justice. We would like to assure our countrymen that the DILG will not be fazed by this challenge and we shall continue to put the interests of our people on top of our priorities,” it added.
Brion is now recuperating at the Calamba Medical Center after he was shot as he was alighting his vehicle in front of his office at Calamba’s Barangay Parian around 7:30 a.m. The Calamba police are now conducting a dragnet operation to catch Brion’s attackers.
Brion, who hails from San Pablo City, was designated regional director of DILG of Cavite, Laguna, Rizal, Batangas and Quezon last May 21. He was the DILG-National Capital Region chief prior to his assignment in Southern Tagalog.
When he was the DILG-NCR chief, Brion was among the government officials who were the subjects of complaints filed by the camp of Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay Jr. who was suspended in connection with the alleged overpriced City Hall Building II and other irregularities in the city.
The Binay camp asked the Court of Appeals then to cite Brion and other government officials in contempt for refusing to honor the Temporary Restraining Order issued by the appellate court preventing the suspension order.
Aside from Brion, the subjects of the complaints were Makati City Vice Mayor Romulo Pena Jr., then DILG secretary Manuel Roxas II, former NCR police chief director Carmelo Valmoria, Southern Police District chief Henry Rañola and Senior Supt. Elmer Jamias, head of the SPD for administration.
Lawyer Claro Certeza said the TRO issued clearly says that the Ombudsman’s suspension order of Mayor Binay should not be implemented but the DILG and the PNP installed the vice mayor as acting mayor.