ILOILO – The Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO) ruled out the possibility of vigilantes operating in the province.
“There is no such thing,” said IPPO director, Police Colonel Ronaldo Palomo.
A man, believed to be a victim of summary execution, was found dead in Barangay Linobayan, Tigbauan town on Thursday morning, March 23.
Allen Sanchez, 58, was a resident of Zone 5, Barangay Santo Niño Norte, Arevalo, Iloilo City. He had two gunshot wounds to the head and his hands were bound by tape, police said.
“What happened in Tigbauan is may ara nga ginhulog didto nga isa ka patay, but we will not consider it nga ginhimu sang vigilante,” Palomo told Panay News on Friday.
The Tigbauan Municipal Police Station is still investigating the motive of the killing.
In Palomo’s latest update, no family members have claimed the body.
Palomo said the body is being preserved because it needs to be autopsied to determine the cause of death.
The family’s consent is required before the body could be autopsied, he added.
The IPPO is also investigating the inscription on the back of the victim’s shirt, “Munti Drug Group”.
According to Palomo, no Munti Drug Group has been monitored in the province.
“So far, diri sa province, wala pa naton na-consider ang group nga ina as a drug group, but we are looking into that,” added Palomo.
The IPPO chief assured the public of the peace and order situation, saying there are no organized private armed groups or vigilantes operating in the province, aside from the two criminal gangs committing robberies that are monitored.
These are the Bagatnan and Libuna groups.
“They are not private armed groups. They are also not potential private armed groups but are simply criminal gangs. They organized themselves for the purpose nga mag-rob,” said Palomo./PN
