Facebook page photo of Magpet Indigenous Peoples Municipal Representative Antonio Takinan
MAGPET, North Cotabato – Rep. Nancy Catamco of North Cotabato’s 2nd district strongly condemned on Friday the murder of a tribal leader, who sat as ex-officio councilor of this town.
Councilor Antonio Takinan, 50, the Indigenous Peoples Mandatory Representative (IPMR) to the Magpet town council, was ambushed on Wednesday by about six suspected members of the New People’s Army (NPA) in Barangay Tagbac here.
Takinan’s two other companions, identified as Robello Tambunan, 62, the IP representative of Barangay Tagbac; and Rene Soriano, 50, an escort, were wounded in the incident.
The three victims were on board two separate motorbikes and were heading home after attending the town council session Wednesday when waylaid at about 5 p.m.
Catamco urged police and military authorities to dig deeper into this case “so justice will be served on Takinan.”
“Bring the suspects before the bar of justice to restore the IPs confidence in the government,” she said in a statement.
Catamco also urged Takinan’s family and relatives to allow the country’s wheels of justice to roll and let government instrumentalities do their job.
“Let us not be carried by our emotions. Let us reflect on why it happened and its message so we take necessary measures to prevent similar incidents in the future,” she said.
Magpet Police chief, Senior Insp. Jose Mari Molina, said Takinan had been receiving death threats but ignored it, saying he had no known enemies.
Citing witnesses, Molina said three motorcycle-riding men tailed and opened fire on Takinan's group.
The town councilor, who was also armed, returned fire but three more motorcycle-riding gunmen peppered him with bullets. The suspects sped off towards an unknown direction after the incident.
Police are looking at members of the outlawed NPA as possible suspects behind the killing of Takinan, who was a strong critic of the communist movement prior to his death. (PNA)
