Baguio mayor orders probe of drug killings

15 slain and still counting 

By Aileen P. Refuerzo

BAGUIO CITY – Mayor Mauricio Domogan has ordered city police chief Senior Supt. George Daskeo to conduct an honest-to-goodness investigation into illegal-drug related killings here outside of police operations.

The mayor asked the police to form a task force to conduct a thorough investigation and to follow through on every lead.

To date, 15 have died in drug-related killings in the city and only four of these incidents were legitimate police operations.

The mayor said the series of murders, some of which were perpetrated in broad daylight and in full view of civilians is harming not only the image of the city as a peaceful tourist and educational center but also the reputation of the city’s police force whose capabilities are seemingly being mocked with the brazen manner by which these crimes were committed.

“Whether or not the victims are really involved in illegal drugs is not the issue.  We don’t condone these killings outside legitimate operations,” the mayor said.

He said the investigation should establish the real motives behind the killings and put to rest suspicions that the fatalities were victims of summary execution either by drug dealers or by police cohorts.

 As this developed,  punong barangays in the city are now required to submit on a monthly basis the list of suspected drug pushers and users in their areas of jurisdiction to the Dept. of Interior and Local Government Baguio City field office.

DILG city director Evelyn Trinidad, in a memorandum issued Sept. 13, this is in line with the earlier DILG memorandum circular 2015-63 on the revitalization of the Barangay Anti=Drug Abuse Council (BADAC) which mandates the BADAC to “continuously gather and update data on all drug-related incidents and (determine their) effect on the peace and order situation in the barangay…”

The barangays should start submitting their lists three days from receipt of the memorandum.  The list will be updated not later than every fourth working day of the month thereafter, according to Trinidad.

“It is advised that the list to be submitted should be sealed in an envelope to maintain its confidentiality. 

The office will closely monitor the required action hereof as a flagship program of the Duterte administration,” she said.