POLICE Regional Office 11 (PRO11) Director Brig. Gen. Benjamin Silo Jr. ordered a region-wide verification on the statement of reelectionist Senator Leila M. de Lima last Monday on the alleged reports of missing peace consultants who were purportedly abducted in separate incidents in Davao del Norte this month.

Accordingly, Ezequiel Daguman and his companion went missing on March 7, while going to a community in banana plantations in New Corella, Davao Del Norte.

Silo immediately instructed Davao del Norte Police Provincial Office (DNPPO) Director Col. Antonio Alberio Jr. to direct all chiefs of police in his area, especially the New Corella Police to validate the report, which upon verification, the report turned out to be negative.

Silo confirmed that on March 28, the Commission of Human Rights 11 (CHR 11) visited the New Corella Police to conduct an investigation of the report.

Based on the police blotter book and other available documents, there were no reported and recorded missing persons in New Corella, Davao Del Norte from March 1 to 28 this year.

Further coordination with the 10th Infantry Division (10th ID), Philippine Army led to the information that one Ezequil Cortez Daguman alias “Rey/Ry” was killed in an encounter with the members of the 10th ID in Bgy. Tupaz, Maragusan, Davao de Oro on March 27 and the army recovered high-powered firearms.

Ezequil was identified as a member of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) Central Committee and Deputy Secretary of Regional Operations Command of the Southern Mindanao Regional Committee (ROC-SMRC).

Silo added that Daguman had a string of warrants including kidnapping and serious illegal detention, double murder, robbery with violence, serious illegal detention, and murder issued by 11th and 12th Judicial Region Branch 10, 11, 30, 23, and 14 respectively.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Bernard Galang