Police, military activate “Joint Task Force Tejero”

From the Philippine News Agency (Sep 18): Police, military activate “Joint Task Force Tejero”

Police and military here in the region activated a joint task force in order to maintain peace and order in Surigao del Sur province and to pursue the suspects in the killing of three indigenous people leaders in the province early this month.

In a press statement on Thursday afternoon, the police regional office here said that the “Joint Task Force Tejero” was activated to go after the suspects of the Alternative Learning Center for Agricultural and Livelihood Development (ALCADEV) incident where three indigenous people (lumad) leaders were killed at Km. 16 of Sitio Han-ayan, Brgy. Diatagon, Lianga, Surigao del Sur, on September 1, this year.

The joint task force is headed by PSSupt. Narciso B. Verdadero, the director of the Surigao del Sur Police Provincial Office through the Joint Peace and Security Coordinating Committee (JPSCC) to ensure continuity and inter-operability of the operating units (of the government security forces)within Caraga region, the police said.

The “JTF Tejero” was the result of the meeting between the PNP and the AFP together with Surigao del Sur Governor Johnny Pimentel as a whole government approach in order to apprehend the perpetrators of the said lumad leaders' killings and bring them to the bar of justice.

It could be recalled that on September 1, Emerito Samarca, the executive director of ALCADEV, Dionel Campos and Juvillo Sinzo were killed at the aforesaid place. A cooperative store owned by the “Malahutayong Pakigbisog Alang sa Mga Sumusunod”of which Campos was the chairman was also burned down.

Charges of “Multiple Murder,” “Arson,” “Robbery,” “Grave Threat,” and “Grave Coercion,” were filed against suspects identified by the police as Loloy Tejero, Bobby Tejero, Margarito Layno and 20 other “John Does,” before the provincial prosecutor’s office in Lianga, of the said province last September 7.

The regional police assured the community that under the leadership of its regional director PCSupt. Chavez, and their counterparts in the military vowed to continually and mutually support each other in the quest for justice to the victims and the observance of the rule of law. Chavez further assured the community that a proper and intensive investigation had been conducted and police operations are being carried out in close coordination with the AFP to ensure the public’s safety and maintain peace and order throughout the region.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=805453