Council wants names of politicos who hired him

MERCADER ADMISSION

THE Cebu City Council has joined calls for deeper investigation into the statements of self-confessed hitman Jinnefer Mercader that he was hired by politicians as a gunman in 2004.

During their regular session yesterday afternoon, the City Council passed a resolution requesting the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO), Police Regional Office (PRO) 7, and the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) 7 to conduct a thorough investigation into the admission of Mercader, incumbent barangay captain of Lugo, Borbon town.

In another resolution, the City Council also expressed gratitude to the Provincial Intelligence Branch (PIB), the Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit (PDEU), Provincial Public Safety Company, Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team, Regional Maritime Group and the Borbon Police Office for the successful arrest of Mercader “without bloodshed.”

The resolutions were passed by the council following a privilege speech by Councilor Pastor Alcover Jr. who raised concern on Mercader’s statements saying it should be probed deeper to “erase some doubts.”

“Mas maayo nga mahibaw-an gyud kinsa ning mga politikoha (It’s better to know who these politicians are), to also clear the names of those politicians who are not involved in these extrajudicial or vigilante killings,” he said.

Alcover echoed the statement of CHR-7 Director Arvin Ordon who said they are concerned about the alleged involvement of these politicians as they are representing the state and are supposed to protect the right to life.

Mercader was arrested by the PIB last Saturday based on complaints from neighbors about his indiscriminate firing of his illegally possessed firearms. Some drug paraphernalia were also confiscated.

But it was Mercader who personally admitted to the PIB that he was a hitman for some politicians way back in 2004, during the time of Mayor Tomas Osmeña, when vigilante-style killings were rampant.

Alcover said that if Mercader’s statements, including his admission that he had killed more than 20 people “during the years when vigilantes did the Cebu City government’s job of ridding the city of crime” are proven true, it could also prove the presence of vigilante-style killings in the city from 2004 to 2006.

“Ubay-ubay ang mga badlongon nga gipanghipos ug gipangpatay diri sa atong syudad, unya hangtud karon, wala jud mahibaw-i kinsay responsible sa pagpatay nila. Ug mao kini, kinsa man iyang mga handlers? Ug mga politiko man ang nagsugo niya, si kinsa man ning mga politikoha?” he said in his speech.

(There were a lot of criminals who were killed in our city, and until now, we do not know who is responsible for their deaths. If this is so, who are his handlers? If politicians were the ones who ordered him to kill the criminals, who are these politicians?)

Following Alcover’s speech, Councilor Sisinio Andales commented that agencies like the CHR should push for the filing of cases against self-confessed hitmen like Mercader and Edgar Matobato who claimed to be a hitman and a member of the Davao Death Squad (DDS).

Although he pointed out that he is not against the resolutions, Andales said that self-confessed statements cannot be admissible in court unless they are assisted by a lawyer.

Andales added that officials should not accept hook, line and sinker the statements of Mercader.

But Alcover pointed out that Davao’s situation with Matobato is different from that of Cebu with Mercader.

“There is no insinuation as to any politician. I am just asking for a fair, honest and serious investigation so that we will know the truth. We are not pinpointing anyone. In fact, all politicians in 2004 to 2006 are suspects in this situation,” Alcover explained.

The council then agreed to approve Alcover’s resolutions.

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