Series of Killings A Prelude
By Manny Pinol
Even as the municipal peace and order council of M’lang held an emergency meeting today, Monday which is a Muslim Holiday, to address the series of killings in the town, intelligence sources revealed that Mayor Lito Pinol is the target of a P1.5-M “package hit job.”
Mayor Lito, who is my younger brother and now on his third and final term as chief executive of one of the biggest towns with a voting population of over 40,000, yesterday bared during the peace and order council meeting that the slay plot on him was discovered by two independent intelligence groups.
“I am part of a P1.5-M liquidation package financed by a political group in the province,” Mayor Pinol, who chaired the MPOC meeting today, disclosed.
In spite of the threat against him, Mayor Lito presided over the MPOC meeting attended by the different barangay chairmen in the town, representatives of the 602nd Brigade of the Philippine and the Philippine National Police.
Among the immediate measures expected to have been implemented by this time were the setting up of choke points along the key exit and entry points of the town.
These choke points will be manned jointly by the Army’s Special Froces, members of the PNP Special Action Force and local policemen.
The MPOC also approved the organization and operation of the Joint Task Force of the Philippine Army and the Philippine National Police for M’lang.
Another resolution was addressed to Interior Secretary Mar Roxas asking for the assignment of additional policemen to the town.
A series of killings of involving two close in staff of Mayor Lito, Jerry Parondo and Eddie Pedregoza, and the killing two days ago of barangay chairman Eddie Panes of Liboo has shaken the otherwise quiet rural town.
Three years ago, another barangay chairman, Eddie Laguyo, was also killed while he was on his way home to Barangay Luz Village.
The PNP has also formed a special investigating team to look into the killings of Laguyo, Parondo, Pedregoza and Panes.
The provincial governor has offered a P100,000 reward for the identification and arrest of the killers of Panes, a known supporter of the incumbent Governor.
No such rewards were offered in the killing of Laguyo, Parondo and Pedregoza, who were identified with the Pinol family.
(Photo caption: Mayor Lito Pinol meets with PNP and Army officers after the MPOC meeting yesterday.)
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