Charges filed vs suspect in slay of 3 Besao men

Church, gov’t condemn slay 

By Gina Dizon

TUBO, Abra – Police filed murder charges last week against the suspect in the massacre of three men from Besao, Mountain Province at the provincial fiscal’s office of Bangued, Abra, sources said.

The suspect, identified as Marlon Batuli, 39, single, hunter and resident of Baklingayan, Tabakda of Tubo is still at large. 

Sources said his village mates identified him as the one who admittedly killed the three men from Agawa, Besao, who went to fish at Nakanga Creek, Baklingayan and were found dead and decomposing on May 27.  

Medical reports revealed the two died by hacking and one by shooting.  

Motive of the crime still remains unknown.

Tubo police chief Lt. Elarde Agustin said the case is still undergoing investigation.

Besao police chief Lazaro Fangayen said they were monitoring the incident.  

This, as religious and government officials condemned the murder of the three hunters in the boundary of Tubo, Abra.

Four more statements from said sectors called for the perpetrator/s to surrender.

This, following a statement from Sagada clergy condemning the murders last week of May came  

Barangay officials from northern and western Besao namely Lacmaan, Agawa, Gueday, Ambagiw  and Tamboan  asked the officials of nearby Tubo municipality and barangay officials of Tabacda  (Baklingayan) of Tubo including concerned individuals to help in the resolution of the murder case by telling suspects to voluntarily surrender.  

Earlier, victims Jansen “Ayban” Gabaen, Pedro Mabiasan Sauyen and Ronnie Diosan Macayba all residents of Agawa, Besao went to the mountains third week of May and had not been home for a week since they left from home to gather bamboo to make “ugat” (woven fish traps).

The dead and decaying bodies of the three hunters were found by a hunter from Baklingayan, Tubo on May 27 which he reported to the Tubo municipal police station.

Two of the victims suffered gunshot wounds and one by hacking.

Reportedly, all victims were found to be hacked with their heads almost separated from their bodies and the male organ of one of them removed.

A sack containing ‘dalit’ was also found in the vicinity of the crime along Nakanga Creek where the three victims  fished for “dalit” (eel).

Said site of incident is located within the boundary of Tubo, Abra  and  Agawa, Besao. Nakanga Creek is a communal fishing ground of the communities of Tubo,  Agawa and nearby  villages.  

The congregation of Besao and Kinali deaneries of the Episcopal Diocese of Northern Philippines (EDNP) forwarded their deepest condolence to the families of the victims.

The congregation of Besao “with much indignation join in solidarity the whole municipality  of Besao in condemning this evil of murder with prayer that process of law will bring to justice the perpetrators.”

In their statement led by rural dean Fr. Prinzel Balitog, the congregations stated “we invoke our basic Christian faith of the sacredness of human life - that we were created in the image of God. As such we were endowed with human dignity that makes us higher than the animals and lower than angels. Thus it is believed that the perpetrators of this tragic murder displayed blatant disregard  and utter disrespect of such human dignity.  Ultimately it a direct assault  to God our Father and Creator who intended  us to live in harmony with our  brothers and sister and to care, and nurture this  precious gift of life.”

Likewise, the Sangguniang Bayan of the municipality of Besao condemed the murder, saying “killing is so inhuman and considered felonious barbaric beyond ethical standards of mankind and the law of God, Philippine constitution,  indigenous laws and the peace advocacy of Besao.

Following the same statements of condemnation, members of the technical working group of SIKAME (Sisipitan Kaman- ingel Mengmeng) integrated watershed management plan  (IWMP) of the Cordillera Highland Agricultural Management Project  (CHARMP) Scaling Up  condoled with the  families of the victims.  

The TWG of SIKAME said the site where the crime was committed “is within the project of SIKAME of the CHARMP Scaling UP (SIKAME – WMP) as they called for the fast tracking of the resolution of the case by government and the ‘umili’ through indigenous means.  

 The perpetrator in the killing of the three men is a resident of Sitio Baclingayan, Barangay Tabacda of Tubo, said 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 earlier but sources said some Besao residents were planning tribal war against the people of Tubo due to murder of their relatives.

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.