By Ronron
April 7, 2007
A candidate for governor in Kalinga province was shot dead on Saturday afternoon by an unidentified suspect in Tabuk town, police officials said.
Incumbent vice governor Rommel Diasen was shot by an unidentified male suspect past 1pm yesterday using a caliber 45 handgun while he was delivering a talk in public in Barangay Magnao, Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) Police Director Chief Supt. Raul Gonzales said.
Diasen, who is the Lakas’ candidate for Governor, sustained two gunshot wounds in the body.
He was rushed to the Kalinga Provincial Hospital for medical treatment but expired at around 2pm.
The suspect, meanwhile, managed to escape on foot.
Gonzales said the incident is most likely a result of a tribal conflict, more than being election-related.
“As of now, we cannot consider it as an election-related violent incident (ERVI) because we have not yet seen any evidence that directs to politics,” Gonzales told Manila Shimbun in a phone interview.
“We are leaning more on the tribal war angle. This could be related to the killing about two years ago of Judge (Minar) Lammawin,” he added.
Gonzales pointed out that Diasen was holding his talk yesterday at a place that local people describe as “Lammawin” territory.
“He (Diasen) was being accused by the tribemates of Judge Lammawin of not helping in the solution of the crime (killing of Lammawin). So he was explaining to the people yesterday his side, while he was also campaigning for the forthcoming election,” Gonzales said.
The police officer said the suspected gunman could be a member of Lammawin’s tribe.
“It could be revenge,” Gonzales said of the incident.
As to the possible political angle, Gonzales said it could be remote because there is no heated rivalry between Diasen and fellow gubernatorial candidate Laurence Wacnang.
Wacnang is currently the Representative of Kalinga at the Lower House of Congress. He belongs to the Liberal Party.
“There is no reason for them to have a rift because they belong to a coalition in support of the administration. In fact, they were seen together lately,” Gonzales said.
“We don’t really see this as politically-motivated,” he added.
So far, Diasen is the high-ranking victim of violence during the election season, as far as position is concerned.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) has already recorded 26 killed victims of election-related violent incidents since the start of the election period on January 14 until April 6th.
Most of the victims are either supporters of candidates or election officers.
PNP Task Force HOPE (Honest, Orderly and Peaceful Elections) commander Deputy Director Gen. Antonio Billones maintained that the recent figure of election-related violent incidents are lower compared to the previous elections.
He said any possible administrative action against local police commanders in Kalinga will depend on the outcome of the investigation.
Gonzales has immediately created yesterday Task Force Diasen to focus on the case for the possible identification and arrest of the suspect.
The Task Force is composed of the Kalinga Police Provincial Office, the regional Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), and local members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
“We are still looking at the actions of the provincial director, if he had taken preventive measures against these kinds of violent incidents. We are still assessing it,” Gonzales said when asked if the chief of Kalinga Police will be sacked.
He said the matter of recommending the province to be placed under the control of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) will be determined also after the investigation, especially if the incident is proven to be election related.
PNP spokesman Chief Supt. Samuel Pagdilao, Jr. said PNP Chief Dir. Gen. Oscar Calderon already ordered the immediate dispatch of Special Action Force (SAF) troopers to the province “to help stabilize the situation and prevent the escalation of violence.”
More checkpoints were ordered established as well to prevent movement of firearms and partisan armed groups in the province, Pagdilao said.
The mid-term elections will be held in the country on May 14./DMS
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