By Zaldy Comanda
LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – The Cordillera police has activated a Provincial Special Investigation Task Group (PSITG) to focus on tracking the suspect in the gruesome killing of three Besao tribesmen last May 21.
Brig. Gen. Israel Dickson, Cordillera police chief, said “The case will not rest here, we still have to wait for the issuance of the warrant of arrest then implement it at all cost so as to give justice and somehow alleviate the suffering of the victims’ families, the barbaric and senseless killing of the victims have no place, we do not tolerate the acts of this murderer.”
Jansen Salibungey Gabaen, Pedro Mabiasan Sauyen and Ronnie Diosan Macayba, all from Barangay Agawa, Besao, Mountain Province, were reported missing after they went fishing in the rivers of a deep forest bordering Agawa and Barangay Baklingayan in Tubo, Abra.
Six days later, their bodies were found in Agawa. Police said the bodies had multiple hack wounds and two of them also had multiple gunshot wounds.
The suspect, identified as Marlon Bacalli Batuli, went into hiding after confessing the crime to barangay officials and the elders of Barangay Tabacda, who had advised him to surrender and face the consequences of his acts.
A case of three counts of murder has been filed against him in court.
The municipality of Sagada, a neighboring municipality of Besao strongly condemned the killing of the Besao tribesmen in Tubo.