CPDF: Killer of three Besao men from Tubo

Tribal war looms:Clergy urges witnesses to surface 

By Gina Dizon

BESAO, Mountain Province – The alleged perpetrator in the recent killing of three men of this town at a hunting ground where eels abound in the boundary of Tubo, Abra and Besao is a resident of Sitio Baclingayan, Barangay Tabacda of Tubo.  

This was bared by Simon “Ka Filiw” Naogsan, spokesperson of the Cordillera People’s Democratic Front in an open letter to elders of Agawa, Besao and Baclingayan, Tubo as he appealed to them not to resort to tribal war.

He did not name the alleged perpetrator but sources said some Besao residents were planning tribal war against the people of Tubo due to murder of their relatives identified as Jansen “Ayban” Gabaen, Pedro Mabiasan Sauyen and Ronnie Diosan Macayba all Agawa of Nabanig, Agawa, Besao.

The three victims were reportedly found dead, their bodies mutilated.

The CPDF spokesperson said the Communist Party of the Philippines, New People’s Army and Cordillera People's Democratic Front were willing to intercede in this case to bring it to its just and peaceful resolution.

 “We enjoin all parties concerned to cooperate to ensure that due process for both the victims’ families and the suspect is observed,” Naogsan said. “We urge our elders to do their part to the attainment of justice for the victims without further bloodshed. These are troubled times for the people of Besao, Tubo and adjacent municipalities.”

Naogsan said the incident occurred along the ridges bridging the provinces of Abra and Mt. Province which led to the death of the three Agawa men.

 “While we recognize the urgent need for swift justice on this

matter, we, as servants of all oppressed and down-trodden, are duty-bound to prevent the intensification of the brewing conflict,”Naogsan said. “We urge you to make a firm stand against the escalation of the issue towards a full-blown tribal war. We entreat our esteemed elders to be a portrait of reason and a beacon of justice. Dialogue and due process to mete out justice to the victims and aggrieved parties have proven to be effective in dispute resolution among our people and between tribes.”

This, as Anglican clergy from the Sagada clericus in a statement appealed for witnesses from Tubo to come out and help in the resolution on the killing of the three men.

It was also learned that a statement from Anglican clergy of Besao clericus issued a similar statement.

This, as officer in charge Lt. Elarde Agustin of Tubo police, said there were still no witnesses nor suspects who turned up regarding the killing.

Agustin, in a telephone interview said that no witness has come out in their investigation regarding the incident.

Earlier, a hunter from Baklingayan, Tubo reported to Tubo police the three dead and decaying bodies at Baklingayan on May 27.

The bodies were brought home by folks from Besao on May 29. 

Besao chief of police Lazaro Insp. Lazaro Fangayen said the three victims were found in three separate sites along Nakanga Creek at  Baklingayan.

Nakanga Creek is known as a common fishing site among people of Agawa, Besao; Tubo, Abra and nearby communities.

Two of the victims suffered gunshot wounds and one dead by hacking. Reportedly, all victims were found hacked with their heads almost separated from their bodies and the male organ of one of the victims was removed.

Two were found naked and one in his clothes. 

A sack containing eels locally called dalit was also found in the crime site.

The three victims had not been in Agawa for a week since they left from home to gather bamboo in the mountains to make “ugat” (woven fish traps) and fish for “dalit.”

Accounts from Besao residents said the area where the victims were found is located in forested beyond Padkil mountain which Agawa folks call Pagpag.

They said the site of the incident happened between Taleb and Baclingayan in a place above the abandoned rice fields owned by a certain late Dinaklag of Lacmaan, Agawa.

This, as a fundraising initiative called “Justice for the Pagpag Boys” was launched via Facebook by relatives of the victims to seek financial assistance for use in the resolution of the case.

Emelda Giles one of the relatives of the victims doing fund raising said, “funds will be utilized for legal fees, travel and sustenance for those tasked to follow-up the updates of the case, and the rest - if any - to be delivered to the families of the victims.”