BACOLOD CITY - The Diocese of Bacolod condemned the continuous killings in the Diocese of San Carlos, the latest of which claimed the lives of the city health officer of Guihulngan, Negros Oriental, and her husband.
READ MORE: Guihulngan city health officer, husband shot dead in Negros Oriental
Dr. Mary Rose Sancelan and her husband Edwin, a local government employee, were gunned down by unidentified assailants while they were on their way home in Barangay Poblacion, Guihulngan City, on December 15.
Karapatan Negros Island earlier said that Sancelan was reportedly named number one in the so called “hitlist” of KAGUBAK, an anti-communist vigilante group in the province. She was also tagged as an alleged spokesperson of the Leonardo Panaligan Command of the New People’s Army (NPA) in central Negros, according to the group.
Bishop Patricio Buzon, in a statement, said “the Diocese of Bacolod believes that the killing of a health worker at a time of great difficulty due to the pandemic is one deplorable act worthy of no less than a public condemnation”.
Buzon said cited Sancelan as a “courageous and dedicates frontliner,” who was instrumental in placing under control the previous spike of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases in the city in November.
Buzon said that the Diocese of Bacolod was reiterating its stand for life, and the welfare of the people. It was also upholding the well-being of all, especially of those who are bringing basic services to the communities in dire need, like health workers.
Moreover, the Diocese was denouncing all forms of extrajudicial killings, as it decried indiscriminate red-tagging, and deplored the apparent impunity among the perpetrators and enablers of the escalating violence not just in Guihulngan City, but also in other parts of Negros island.
Buzon said the clergy was praying for an end to this violence, and urged concerned local authorities and agencies of government to investigate and act speedily on the resolution of the case.
Meanwhile, Dr. Liland Estacion, COVID-19 incident commander in the province, in a Facebook live press briefing on Wednesday, relayed the message of the Negros Oriental Public Information Officer Bimbo Miraflor, saying that the incident will surely affect one in many ways the operations of the local IATF in the city.
“In due time, they will cope up with the loss and designate somebody who will take on the job,” Estacion said as she quoted Miraflor.
Estacion said Governor Roel Degamo already talked to the provincial police, and ordered them to investigate the matter very seriously and bring the perpetrators to justice.