BY GLENDA TAYONA and IAN PAUL CORDERO
ILOILO City – A series of killings involving unidentified armed men on motorcycles, crimes against persons and properties have alarmed the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP). Is there a breakdown in this city’s peace and order?
City councilors yesterday agreed to summon the Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) director. They wanted to know if the police was still in control of the situation.
A few hours later, a gunman shot to death a tricycle driver in Zone 4, Barangay Ungka, Jaro district.
Gerardo Mamarion Jr., a 25-year-old resident of Barangay Tacas, Jaro, was at a sari-sari store when the assassin peppered him with bullets around 5 p.m.
“If crimes solutions are ineffective, there is failure or breakdown in our peace and order,” said Councilor Armand Parcon, chairperson of the committee on communication and public information.
He sponsored a resolution calling the ICPO to appraise the city council of the steps the police is taking to keep Iloilo City safe from lawless elements.
“In a span of a few days recently, a series of index and non-index crimes occurred in this city such as killings perpetrated by unknown assailants riding-in-tandem. Some were crimes against persons and properties and some were drug-related. These brought anxiety to many of us,” read part of the SP resolution.
Yesterday’s shooting was witnessed by a 19-year-old attendant of the sari-sari store.
“Dako nga tawo (He was a big man),” she described the gunman who was wearing a helmet, face mask and jacket.
According to the witness, before the gunman shot Mamarion he asked his victim’s name then pulled out a gun.
“The victim asked for help but I was so scared. The gunman stared down at me so I left the store,” said the witness.
Then she heard bursts of gunfire.
Mamarion died of gunshot wounds on the head and chest.
According to Parcon, these incidents have made many to ask, “Are we really safe in Iloilo City?”
Mamarion’s father Gerardo Sr. told Panay News his son used to be a drug usher but stopped five years ago.
“He had no known enemies. He would go home right away after a day’s work,” added Gerardo.
The police’s Scene of the Crime Operatives recovered 10 spent bullet shells of a still unknown caliber of gun.
The victim was a nephew of convicted kidnap-for-ransom group member John Mamarion who is currently detained at the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City for the kidnapping and death of Bacolod City businesswoman Roberta Cokin in 1995./PN
