• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Election Day in Silay City, Negros Occidental, was marred with violence as two persons and seven others were injured, in a shooting incident that occured two hours after voting started for senior citizens, pregnant women, and persons with disabilities.
Initial police investigations indicate that one of the three suspects, identified as Arnie Benedicto, barangay chairman of Lantad in Silay City, allegedly opened fire at the victims, while on a vehicle that was driving through the area.
The gun incident that took place in Sitio Ipil Ipil, Brgy. Mambulac, Silay City, had nine victims, where two, identified by the police as Albert Salimbot and Ronnie Piedad, died on the spot.
Injured were Ruel Espinosa, Ric Ortillano y Vistar, Wilfredo Cuello, Jason Belleza, Joey Pomares, Glenn Gutierrez, and Ginray Guitche. All the injured victims were transported to the Riverside Medical Center in Bacolod City for treatment.
Benedicto later surrendered to the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office, according to Atty. Jose Edward Davila, counsel of Team Asenso Silay.
Benedicto is now under the custody of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, for investigation.
Davila said that Benedicto denied involvement in the shooting incident.
He added that Benedicto is willing to undergo paraffin testing to prove his innocence.
Additional policemen were dispatched to Silay City by the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office to maintain peace and order and ensure the smooth flow of elections, and join the manhunt against the fleeing suspects.
P/Brig. Gen. Arnold Thomas Ibay, regional police director of PRO Negros Island Region, assured the public that the situation is under control, and all necessary actions have been undertaken to bring the perpetrators to justice and maintain peace in the community.
“We strongly condemn this act of violence. The full force of the law is being applied to apprehend the suspects,” he said.
The PRO-NIR immediately activated the Provincial-Level Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) to centralize efforts in the case build up and manhunt operations against the fleeing suspects, while an Area Command Post (ACP) was established near the crime scene to coordinate operations.
“We assure the community that justice will be served. Our teams are on the ground and fully engaged. We urge residents to remain calm, cooperate with authorities, and report any information that may aid in the immediate capture of the suspects,” Ibay said
The PNP and Comelec condemned the incident.
PLt. Col. Joem Malong, spokesperson of the PRO-NIR, described the drive-by shooting as an “isolated incident,” saying they cannot yet tell if the shooting incident was related to the elections, as the investigations are still ongoing.
Silay City Mayor Joedith Gallego, who claimed the victims are his volunteer watchdogs against vote buying, strongly condemned the shooting incident.
“These citizens, driven only by a desire to protect the integrity of our elections, were performing a patriotic duty. Their selfless act was a testament to the kind of democracy we all aspire to uphold: one that is honest, free, and just,” Gallego said.
“We will leave no stone unturned until the perpetrators are brought to justice. To those responsible: the law will catch up with you, and the people will not forget,” Gallego said, adding he already ordered the local police force to fully cooperate with national authorities in expediting the investigation.
He also said that the city government will extend all necessary assistance – medical, legal, and psychological – to the victims.
Gallego also called on all political players to rise above the politics of fear and intimidation.
Let this election be a contest of platforms, not a battlefield of bullets, he added.*
