Pagadian City residents are asking for heightened police visibility in Zamboanga del Sur to check alleged political violence in the province.
The people cited in particular the recent killing of former municipal administrator Richard Camanian Cabilan who was shot dead inside the Department of Agriculture (DA) compound in Dumingag town.
Cabilan’s murder was reportedly the second shooting incident inside a government compound in the province in less than a month, the first being at the Zamboanga del Sur provincial complex.
The two incidents have instilled fear among government officials and employees in the province, notably in Pagadian City.
Sen. Risa Hontiveros has urged Philippine National Police chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin to investigate the political killings, stressing the need to protect civil servants and residents of the province.
Cabilan, who was the Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Officer (MENRO) of Dumingag, was attending a meeting at the Agriculture Training Center when he was dead by three unidentified gunmen.
The victim was the former municipal administrator of ex-Mayor Nacianceno Pacalioga Jr. who ran but lost to incumbent Gov. Victor Yu in the latest local elections.
Initial police investigation showed that while Cabilan was talking on his mobile phone during a break in his meeting when the killers came close and shot him in the head, resulting in his instantaneous death. He was hit twice in the head and once at the back.
The report said the assailants fled the scene aboard separate vehicles toward the Midsalip Road.
On the other hand, the first shooting incident that happened on October 18 at the provincial government complex in Barangay Dao, Pagadian City involving a 25-year-old male from Barangay Betinan, San Miguel in Zamboanga del Sur.
Ronie Agan Naong was dead at the Farmer’s Haven inside the government compound after two men shot him several times.
Police said the killers shadowed the victim inside the complex. When Naong felt the presence of the gunmen, he tried to flee but was cut down by the bullets.