Army probes 4 soldiers' link to Pacalioga slay attempt

From the Philippine News Agency (Mar 22, 2019): Army probes 4 soldiers' link to Pacalioga slay attempt

The Army’s 1st Infantry Division (1ID) is conducting a parallel investigation against the four soldiers linked to the attempt on the life of a former Zamboanga del Sur official in Lanao del Norte on Wednesday.

Capt. Clint Antipala, 1ID information officer, said Friday the Army launched the investigation, in coordination with the police, following discovery that the arrested four persons are 1ID personnel assigned with the 1st Infantry Division based in Labangan town, Lanao del Norte.

The four suspects were arrested at a checkpoint by policemen in Bacolod, Lanao del Norte, several minutes after riding in tandem gunmen shot and wounded Nacianceno Pacalioga Jr.--a former mayor and vice mayor of Dumingag, Zamboanga del Sur.    

 “In the light of the recent incident allegedly involving our personnel, the 1st Infantry Division is immediately conducting a thorough investigation. We are in close coordination with the PNP (Philippine National Police) and our parallel investigation is in support of the probe being conducted by the PNP which took custody of the suspect," Antipala said.

Pacalioga, 57, had just got out of his vehicle in Barangay Esperanza, Bacolod in Lanao del Norte to urinate when he was shot by unidentified suspects on a motorbike.

He was on his way to Zamboanga del Sur from Iligan City when the incident happened. 

Antipala said the Philippine Army remains a professional organization and it has control over its troops.

“We pledge to give due process in the conduct of a proper investigation. Erring Army personnel will be dealt with accordingly with the full force of our military justice system,” Antipala added.

Pacalioga served as mayor of Dumingag town from 2007 to 2016 and as town vice mayor in 2016. He was dismissed from his post in 2017 by the Office of the Ombudsman for deliberately omitting several properties from his 2011, 2012, and 2014 Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALNs).

He was charged with “Falsification of Official Document and Serious Dishonesty” for not declaring 10 parcels of land located in different barangays in Dumingag town.

Pacalioga was indicted with three counts of perjury and three counts of violation of Section 8 in relation to Section 11 of the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees (Republic Act No. 6713).

http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1065322