MANILA -- Malacañang on Tuesday condemned the killing of Ozamiz City Executive Judge Edmundo Pintac, who was gunned down by unidentified assailants in Ozamiz City on Monday.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the murder of Pintac, one of the magistrates handling the cases involving the Parojinog drug cartel - particularly against Vice Mayor Nova Princess and her brother Reynaldo Parojinog - was discussed during the 30th Cabinet meeting.
Last year, Pintac denied a plea by the Parojinog children for furlough that will allow them to attend the funeral of their parents, then Ozamiz City mayor Reynaldo Parojinog and wife Susan, who were killed along with 13 others in a drug raid by police July 30, 2017
“Ang aming panalangin at pakikiramay din sa pamilya ng pinatay na hukom, si Judge Edmundo Pintac, na humahawak sa mga kaso ng Parojinog sa Ozamiz (We send our prayers and condolences to the family of the slain Judge Edmundo Pintac, who handles the case of Parojinog in Ozamiz),” Roque said in a Palace briefing.
Roque said President Rodrigo R. Duterte has tasked the Philippine National Police (PNP) to arrest the perpetrators of the crime as soon as possible.
“Inaatasan ng Pangulo ang pamunuan ng Philippine National Police na gawin ang lahat upang mahuli sa lalong madaling panahon ang mga taong may kinalaman sa karumal-dumal na krimen na ito (The President has tasked the Philippine National Police to do all that it can to catch, as soon as possible, the people involved in this gruesome crime),” Roque said.
Roque said the Palace condemns such killings, noting that such incidents proved that the campaign against illegal drugs is necessary.
“Ang mga ganitong pagpatay ay mariin naming kinokondena. Ang mga ito ay patunay na totoo ang panganib na kinakaharap ng ating mga otoridad sa pagsugpo sa ipinagbabawal na gamot (We condemn these types of killings. These incidents prove that authorities face real dangers in their efforts to curb illegal drugs),” Roque said.
“These deaths attest that the drug war is real,” he added.
Roque, meanwhile, sympathized with the family members of five Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) personnel killed in an ambush by still unidentified perpetrators in the Lanao del Sur town of Kapai on Friday.
“Nakikiramay ang Palasyo sa mga pamilya at mga mahal sa buhay na naiwan ng limang PDEA personnel na pinatay sa isang ambush sa Lanao del Sur noong Biyernes (The Palace sympathizes with the family and loved ones left by the five PDEA personnel who were kileld in an ambush in Lanao de Sur on Friday),” Roque said.
Roque said Duterte will personally monitor the case and assured that justice will be served to the victims.
“Nagsimula nang gumulong ang imbestigasyon at ang kasong ito ay personal na tutukan mismo ng Pangulo (Investigation is ongoing and this case will personally be monitored by the President),” Roque said.
“Makakaasa ang lahat na makakamit ang hustiya sa mga napaslang (We assure everyone that justice will be served for those slain),” he added.
Chief Supt. Graciano Mijares, director of the Police Regional Office in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (PRO-ARMM), said the victims were on board a van and were heading home to Marawi City from a drug symposium for drug surrenderers in the Lanao del Sur town of Tagoloan II when they were ambushed.
Senior Supt. Ronald Briones, Lanao del Sur police provincial director, identified four of the five casualties as PDEA agents Kenneth Tabulo, Kristine Mae Torlao, Lores Joy Amar, and Binzo Dipolla. They were declared dead on arrival by attending physicians at the Amai Pakpak Medical Center in Marawi City.
Another casualty, Diobel Pacinio, died while undergoing treatment at the hospital, Briones said. (PNA)
