Soldier killed by civilian militia

From the Manila Standard Today (Dec 19): Soldier killed by civilian militia

SADANGA, Mountain Province --- A member of the paramilitary home defense force shot and killed his commanding officer and called on community elders to butcher a native pig and perform a ritual to remove bad spirits as a result of the killing, officials said on Thursday.

A Sandanga police station spokesman said Antonio Cassiw Jr shot Sgt. Jerry Cuntapay with his M14 rifle following an altercation during a drinking spree in the poblacion.

“The two men were drunk. When Cuntapay returned to his guard post, Cassiw followed him and moments later a shot rang out,” the spokesman said.

After the killing, Cassiw sought village elders to perform the “Tomo,” a cleansing ritual and fled. The butchered pig used in the ritual will be distributed to residents.

In the past, Igorot soldiers and guerrillas performed the Tomo after killing Japanese soldiers during the war. The elders said the ritual performed after a murder is an admission of the crime.

Police said they will filed murder charges against Cassiw based on testimonies of other members of the home defense force and the elders, who performed the Tomo after the killing.

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