Police identifies Diasen’s killer; reports 30 deaths so far since start of election period last January 14

By Ronron
April 10, 2007

The Philippine National Police (PNP) has already identified the suspected killer of Kalinga gubernatorial candidate Rommel Diasen who was gunned down last Black Saturday in Tabuk town.

Joel Melod, 18, a local tribesman, was identified by local residents who witnessed the crime, said PNP spokesman Chief Supt. Samuel Pagdilao, Jr., quoting PNP Task Force USIG commander Chief Supt. Geary Barias.

“We received reports that the suspect was dared by a fellow tribesman and wood-gatherer to kill Vice Governor Diasen to avenge the killing of a local judge a few years ago. We also had information that the suspect is a relative of the wife of Diasen,” Pagdilao quoted Barias to have said in his report to PNP chief Gen. Oscar Calderon.

The PNP had earlier declared that the killing of Diasen is a result of an unresolved tribal feud, and not in any way related to the forthcoming election where he is participating as the Lakas’ candidate for Governor.

Cordillera Region Police Director Raul Gonzales had said that Diasen’s killing is a revenge for the death of Judge Milnar Lammawin a few years back. Both belong to rival tribes, and Diasen was linked to the Lammawin killing although no case against him prospered in court.

Diasen was delivering a speech in public in Barangay Magnao last Saturday afternoon to explain why he should not be blamed for Lammawin’s death and at the same time ask for the people’s support for his candidacy when he was shot.

Pagdilao said Melod is a member of the mixed Magnao-Lubuagan tribe. Lammawin belongs to the Magnao tribe.

A case of murder was already filed against Melod, who is now a subject of police manhunt.

With the declaration of Barias that the incident is fueled by a tribal war, PNP National Task Force HOPE (Honest, Orderly and Peaceful Elections) commander Deputy Director General Antonio Billones struck out the Diasen killing case from the PNP’s list of election-related violent incidents (ERVI).

So far, 30 people, mostly barangay chairmen, were killed out of the 51 reported ERVI’s that happened since the start of the election period last January 14th, Billones said. Three of those killed were political candidates.

Twenty other people were injured.

But Billones said the situation now is still better compared to the last elections in 2004 and 2001.

He disclosed that in the 2004 Presidential elections, there were a total of 249 ERVI’s, and 269 in 2001. The number of deaths for the said election periods were 148 (41 of whom are candidates) and 111 (21 of whom are killed), respectively.

Billones said peace covenants among local candidates are continuously being proposed by the PNP to prevent further violence./DMS