Police face challenges in probing activist’s slay

By Glazyl Y. Masculino 

 

BACOLOD City – Local policemen are facing difficulties in identifying the perpetrators behind the death of a human rights activist here.

Zara Alvarez 39, was gunned down by an unidentified gunman at Eroreco Subdivision, Barangay Mandalagan here on Aug 14.

Alvarez was a Negros-based staff of Karapatan and a research and advocacy officer of the Negros Island Health Integrated Program (NIHIP).

Police Captain Richard Fajarito, head of Police Station 3, said yesterday that nobody in the area can identify the two motorcycle-riding perpetrators because the scene was too dark and it was also raining that night.

The shooting happened an hour before the 8 pm curfew here.

Fajarito also said the witnesses they have interviewed for initial information about the incident were no longer staying in the area a day after the shooting happened.

“Indi na sila (witnesses) makita, basi nagpuli na to sa ila lugar,” he added.

He also said they have yet to find a closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera in the area which can supposedly help them in the identification of the suspects.

Although they have challenges along the way, Fajarito said they will continue to investigate the murder case to find other evidence.

He said they are still digging up some information which can help them in the investigation.

The investigation still focuses on the two possible angles – grudges and the previous activities – of Alvarez.

The members of the Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) will have a case conference next week to discuss the development on the case.

Meanwhile, Councilor Wilson Gamboa Jr., chairman of the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) Committee on Human Rights, authored a resolution to the City Council requesting the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO), Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and all other law enforcement agencies here to conduct an investigation for the early resolution of the incident.