BAUKO, Mountain Province – The brutal murder of an anti-crime and corruption advocate right in his home premises should serve as a wakeup call for the town’s 22 barangays to work out the preparation of their respective comprehensive barangay defense plans that will guarantee the protection of the people from untoward incidents perpetrated by lawless elements.
Mayor Abraham B. Akilit said that the shooting to death of Salvador G. Liked, a barangay kagawad of Balintaugan barangay, here, and a staunch anti-crime and corruption advocate, inside his home premises is now a cause for concern by the people living in the different villages as they are now worried on their being secured from such similar lawless activities of some individuals in their communities.
He stated that the aforesaid incident that obviously tainted the prevailing decent peace and order situation in the municipality should now serve as a concrete basis for barangay officials to be proactive by working out the formulation of their respective comprehensive barangay defense plans that will prevent the occurrence of similar incidents that will pose a serious threat to life and limb.
The local chief executive pointed out that the preparation of the required barangay defense plan will be discussed among the municipal officials, barangay officials and concerned sectors so that the different barangays will star working on the soonest and not to await similar incidents to happen before realizing that the threat to life and limb is real.
According to him, the comprehensive barangay development plans that will be readied must include the programs, projects and activities related to peace and order, health issues and concerns, disaster risk reduction and management, social services delivery among others for the protection of life and limb.
Mayor Akilit said that supposedly, the home is the safest haven for people but the recent murder incident in the municipality, particularly on a barangay kagawad and a known public figure because of his advocacy on anti-crime and corruption, already casts doubts on the ability of barangay officials to ensure the safety of their constituents when within their home premises.
He added that the people of Mountain Province continue to clamor for the conduct of speedy investigation of the said case so that the motive of the high profile incident and the culprits will be ascertained and for those responsible for the crime to be brought to trial to achieve justice for the victim.
The municipal mayor emphasized that it is nearing a month since the perpetration of the high profile crime but it seems that investigators are facing a blankwall on the motive of the murder and those responsible for the commission of the crime that is why people are now beginning to doubt the ability of law enforcers to ensure their safety and security, especially those living in remote villages that are distant from police stations And outposts of barangay tanods.
Akilit also called on the perpetrators of the crime to be touched by their conscience so that they will voluntarily surrender to the authorities and confess the commission of the crime as well s identify the masterminds who will have to be tried for the motive in assassinating the barangay kagawad. By Hent