CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY -- The local police of Quezon town in Bukidnon have started their investigation into the possible involvement of five security guards of Kiantig Farm in the recent shooting incident in Barangay Butong.
Presidential candidate Ka Leody de Guzman, and two of his senatorial bets, Roy Cabonero and David D'Angelo, were having a meeting with the Manobo-Pulangiyon tribe when they were fired on by unidentified gunmen on April 19.
The Police Regional Office-10 has instructed the Quezon police station to investigate the case thoroughly in order to identify the suspects.
In an interview on Thursday, April 21, Lt. Col. Michelle Olaivar, the spokesperson of PRO-10, said the Regional Civil Security Unit (RCSU) 10 conducted an inspection in Kiantig Farm as they received information that the suspects in the shooting incident were allegedly guards.
There was no mention of the motive in the shooting, but a statement from Partido Lakas ng Masa (PLM) said that the Manobo-Pulangiyon tribe are said to be protesting the loss of their ancestral land.
It can be seen on D'Angelo's video footage via facebook live, the Manobo Pulangiyon tribe have been claiming their ancestral land with their papers.
Olaivar said she had received information from the Bukidnon Police Provincial Office that the case of the land dispute is still ongoing in the court.
"The case is ongoing in the court. There is still no court order for them (Manobo-Pulangiyon tribe) to occupy the hectare land," said Olaivar, reading the information from Bukidnon police over the phone.
The Quezon police reported that a certain Charita Del Socorro, 42 of Purok 8, Barangay Butong, Quezon, Bukidnon, was hit by a bullet at her right leg.
In addition, it was also verified that there were others who were also injured during the incident. They were Datu Didilusan Aroyo of Maramag town in Bukidnon who sustained gunshot wounds in his forearm and left leg; Robert Debatian, also of Maramag town who sustained bruises in the right arm; and Hernani Abela, resident of Koronadal City, South Cotabato, who sustained gunshot wound in her right chest.
De Guzman and two of his senatorial bets were unharmed.
The RCSU-10, during their inspection, had confiscated eight firearms including two pistols of caliber 9mm, 1 revolver caliber .38 and 5 shotguns from the five security guards.
Apart from not presenting any certificate of authority from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) exempting them from gun ban for the 2022 election period, Olaivar said the RCSU-10 had still confiscated the firearms as the security guards were not in uniform.
"The firearms were also confiscated because according to the RCSU, the security guards were not wearing their uniforms. That's one of the grounds," Olaivar said.
However, Olaivar confirmed that all of the confiscated firearms were legally registered.
Olaivar said they are verifying if the security agency that provides the guards in question has applied for a certificate of authority from the Comelec.
"If ever no one can present a certificate from Comelec, it is presumed that there has been a violation per se of the Comelec guidelines. However, the Comelec has to concur with this because they are the government agency in charge for issuance of these certificates," Olaivar relayed the statement of RCSU-10 chief.
"We also have reports that we received that there is a delay in the issuance of the certificate. It's on the Comelec records if a particular entity or individual has secured the necessary certification during this gun ban," Olaivar said, quoting RCSU-10.