Councilors want dialogue with police amid series of killings in Iloilo City

Members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod  are inviting the Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) to apprise them of the peace and order situation in the metropolis.

During its regular session Tuesday, Councilor Armand Parcon authored a resolution that was unanimously supported by the entire council inviting the ICPO for a dialogue. The resolution was an offshoot of his privilege speech citing the “series of disturbing incidents, killings perpetrated by unknown assailants.”

“This is a serious matter that should be investigated by the CHR (Commission on Human Rights), by our concerned police officials in the light of the series of crime incidents. It is imperative that ICPO conduct an investigation and apprise the city council of the peace and order situation,” Parcon said.

He cited that in a span of just one week, four persons were killed during police anti-drug operations while two more were “peppered with bullets by unknown riding-in-tandem assailants.”

There were also crimes against persons and property, he said, citing an incident in Molo district where a woman was robbed while strolling inside a subdivision.

Parcon said these incidents have caused “mixed emotions and anxiety” among city residents.

“The Ilonggos are peace abiding and are not condoning extra-judicial killings,” he said, adding that Mayor Jose Espinosa has issued a statement emphasizing that he was not condoning the series of killings in Iloilo City as it was adversely affecting the peace and order situation.

Parcon said he would just consult the Board Secretariat about the schedule of the dialogue with the police as they still have to determine the availability of the ICPO director.

Senior Supt. Martin Defensor replaced Senior Supt. Henry Biñas,  who was reassigned to the Police Regional Office (PRO-6).

SOURCE: Iloilo Metropolitan Times

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