'Shoot to kill'

Mayor Rody, chair of the regional peace and order council, issued a 'shoot to kill' order to all bodyguards with criminal records in the province of Davao del Sur. This is after the commission on election implemented total gun ban again for the province in the wake of killing of the Sarmientos, a mayor candidate and his son in Malita, a town some 100 kms from Davao City. He further said that, '...for the politicians who bring with them these criminals, they must be apprehended for being accessory...'

This developed after the police regional office recalled gun ban exemptions earlier granted by the commission on election. 'This action was made to (defuse) intensifying tension in the province after the killings...allegedly perpetrated by congressman Bautista and his bodyguards,' the regional police said.

Mayor Rody said many politicians hired criminals and dubious men, 'on the mistaken notion that they will be protected.' 'In my city I don't do that. Huwag mo yang gawin dito, bibirahin kita (Don't do that here, I will hit you),' he said.

However, Mayor Rody assured law abiding residents, 'government will ensure that order is restored and the province will return to its normalcy and everyone is secured.' 'There is paralysis in governance... I don't want it to reflect in my leadership in regional peace and order council. Law and order must be re-established No one is allowed to brandish firearms in public places. Only government is authorized to provide security details. Order must be done,' he said.

For director Caro of the regional police, 'police and military personnel coming from other regions but are acting as bodyguards will be considered private armies because designation of bodyguards must be taken from the region where the requisitioning party comes from,' he said.

Meanwhile, the police filed a double murder case against congressman Bautista and his bodyguards for the death of the Sarmientos. Task Force Sarmiento was created by regional police to investigate the killings and composed of members of police and national bureau of investigation. The task force said the Sarmientos 'were gunned down by the group of congressman Baustista in the afternoon of May 16, 2007 near the victims' residence at the town center in Malita.'

The elder Sarmiento was a former mayor of Malita, and now running again for the post against incumbent governor Bautista, who is the elder brother of the congressman. The congressman for his part running for governor against congressman Cagas, of whom Sarmiento was allied.

The task force reported that the incident was triggered when congressman Bautista heard that election returns were alledgely taken purposely to boost chances of Sarmiento in the poll. Congressman Bautista and his men proceeded to the residence of the victims where the shooting took place. However, congressman Bautista admitted on live TV that it was his bodyguard who shot the Sarmientos. It was done in self-defense since the elder Sarmiento fired at them first.

The national bureau of investigation, however, said it had a witness who said it was congressman Bautista who fired first at the unarmed young Sarmiento. The witness said when the elder Sarmiento emerged from the house, the bodyguard shot him as well.

Moreover, the regional police added troops from the armed forces and the national police and established checkpoints and choke points to disband and disarm partisan armed groups in the area.

Director Caro said he is hopeful that the implementation of the total gun ban will ease the tension and ensure peace and order in Davao del Sur.