3 assassins take down Bayan Prov'l. chairman

As military disowns hit…

POLICE are still tracing three unidentified assassins who shot to death Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) Provincial Chair Victor Olayvar Thursday, September 7, 2006 in a daring early morning ambush in Barangay Cantubod, Danao, Bohol. Olayvar, who once headed vocal Hugpong sa mga Mag-uumang Bol-anon, (HUMABOL) a progressive and farmer's organization, bore two fatal shots in the head, one in the neck and one in the right breast. The killing happened exactly five days after Bishop Leopoldo Tumulak-led Local Peace Forum (LPF) passed three resolutions advancing the peace situation in a forum in Tagbilaran City. Last Saturday, the LPF discussed revolutionary taxes, peace talks and political killings, issues raised by militant groups who claim they are in a military hit list. 302nd Infantry Brigade Commander Col. Arthur Tabaquero has long since denied such a list. Witnesses said three gun wielding blocked a bailey bridge between Barangays Cantubod and San Carlos Danao. When the motorcycle driver slowed his vehicle with Olayvar on for the bailey bridge approach, assassins on the roadside shot Olayvar at fatal range.

Police considered motorcycle driver, 34 year old Julieto Corona Ayag, single of Tangkigan Mabini, Bohol who was unharmed, a key witness and is now in police custody. At the crime scene, Danao police investigators recovered four .45 caliber empty shells and three deformed slugs. PO3 Candido Busalanan theorized that another slug might still be embedded on the victim's head, a bullet entry point at the top right of his head. 302nd Infantry Brigade Commander Arthur Tabaquero, in an interview in Camp Rajah Sikatuna in Carmen immediately denied allegations that Olayvar's death has something to do with police or military operations. He said he received military reports of the killing a little past 7:00 and immediately dispatched troops from the 15th Infantry Battalion for pursuit operations. He added that the same reports noted armed insurgents sightings in Danao-Gamay, about three kilometers from the crime scene. He also told a government fact finding team that Governor Erico Aumentado, LPF vice chair has directed him to submit an initial investigation within 72 hours.

Bohol Police Director Arturo Evangelista said Olayvar was supposed to notify him of his whereabouts so that he could coordinate with local police authorities to provide security. This was as agreed during the LPF. Anticipating faulty reports flooding media, Provincial Peace and Order Council immediately sent that same day a fact finding mission to the area. Romeo Teruel, governor's office chief of staff, Department of Interior and Local Government Provincial Director Rustica Mascariñas, Philippine Information Agency Manager Yvette Bede Matabalan, Vice Governor's Francisco Obedencio and Civil Relations Service team leader Narciso Tabaniag Jr. composed the team.

Danao police station and 15th IB troops under Major Edgar Nigos were still into the crime scene operations and pursuing investigations when text messages from identified militant groups started blaming the military about 1 pm. September 7. The fact-finding team arrived in Danao about 2 pm , three hours ahead of the Task Force Karapatan fact finding team led by Secretary General Lisa Serenio, who arrived about 5 pm , the same day. Meanwhile, Cebu radio stations have reported the killing, following Karapatan Central Visayas Dennis Abbarientos' statements of the alleged killing done by 302nd Brigade troops. A Cebu radio station also said their sources come from disgruntled elements at Camp Dagohoy , in Tagbilaran City .

WITNESS ACCOUNTS

A witness who asked not to be identified shared to the fact-finding team that he noticed three men on the bridge and two motorcycles parked on the road shoulder a few meters from the bridge early that morning. Another witness said he saw a Yamaha DT and red Yamaha Krypton on the roadside prior to the incident. The same motorcycles were used as escape vehicles after the shooting. A habal-habal driver whose name is still withheld said he was approaching the bridge from an opposite direction that same time was stopped several meters from the bridge. He them saw two men in thick jackets shoot the backrider of a blue Kawasaki KMX. Olayvar who was astride Ayag's motorcycle jumped off, when he sensed that one man on the bridge drew a fire-arm. This also caused Ayag to lose his balance and spill. Then he heard gunshots. When he looked up, gunmen were so close to him and he allegedly begged to be spared. After shooting, gunmen rode on the parked motorcycles and fled towards Getafe , leaving Olayvar dead and Ayag unhurt. Ayag then sped to the police, who also brought the victim to Francisco Dagohoy Memorial Hospital in Inabanga to revive him. He was pronounced dead on arrival.

SUCCEEDING INVESTIGATIONS

Upon succeeding investigations, Ayag, who is now held in police custody by Pssupt Evangelista as a witness said he picked up Olayvar who said his name was “Bert” in San Miguel. He added that Olayvar asked him to be ferried to Tagbilaran but has to pass through Danao for P1,500. He denied he knew him. While in Danao, Ayag said they ran out of gas and decided to stay for the night at a roadside house rented by certain Roldan Torres in Barangay San Carlos, Danao. That night, Ayag said they had videoke, saw Olayvar talking in private with young men who were also enjoying videoke. He added he slept along with Olayvar at same house.

The following morning, two men, one only identified as Peding, arrived and gave them gasoline. Then they sped off a little past seven towards Danao, he said. Barbara Torres, Roldan's wife in an early interview said when she arrived at about seven that night, she saw Olayvar, the driver and four young men. He added Olayvar only had a sling bag and brought with him Matador brandy he shared with Ayag. She also told the fact finding team that they had about 11 persons that night, mostly regular patrons. Olayvar was accordingly still awake when she went upstairs to sleep between 10-11 pm.

In a separate interview, after denying knowing Olayvar, Roldan Torres said Olayvar was in his videoke stop in June of this year. That night was accordingly Olayvar's second appearance. Early the following morning, Olayvar and Ayag left about 7:00 , he said. Meanwhile Karapatan Secretary General Lisa Serenio and Ira Pamat said both Ayag and Olayvar knew each other, them sharing the same advocacies. Olayvar's wife Maria, also admitted that she knew Ayag and reads his text messages to Olayvar.

Bayan Muna Chair John Ruiz III also admitted Ayag knew Olayvar in a radio interview aired Friday morning. While local police authorities are still into digging up leads on the where about of the killers, the unwitting connection between Ayag's denials on Olayvar's death is still weighed. Police are also looking at the stored messages and calls lists of Olayvar and Ayag's mobile phones. Ayag willfully surrendered his cell to PSSupt. Evangelista after erasing all his sent messages. Police investigators however have claimed they have opened a lead, on the Ayag's cellphone and are tracing listed numbers on his phone's message counter. The incident came after the LPF passed a resolution asking the police and the military to honor their commitment to protect life, another resolution to continue the stalled peace talks and still another one urging the Communist People's Party New People's Army to stop collecting revolutionary tactics.

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