CEBU CITY, Philippines–The San Fernando police have already identified four persons of interest in the killing of reelectionist municipal councilor Reneboy Dacalos on Thursday afternoon, January 10 in Sitio South Poblacion, San Fernando town, south Cebu.
According to Senior Inspector Arvie Arbuis, the task formed formed to investigate the killing of Dacalos are now monitoring certain individuals who may have a hand in his death.
“We have persons of interest but we cannot reveal them yet as the investigation continues,” Arbuis told Cebu Daily News Digital in a phone interview.
Arbuis said that although the drug angle remains to be the biggest possibility, they also do not rule out the possibility of political rivalry.
San Fernando is under the yellow category of the Election Watchlist Areas (EWAS) of the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7) and the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
That means that there is strong political rivalry in the town.
Arbuis earlier said that Dacalos was included in their drug matrix for narcopoliticians.
He said that the San Fernando police have tried several times to convince Dacalos to surrender but added that the councilor would instead tell them that he would first consult his lawyers.
Arbuis alleged that Dacalos has links to the group of detained drug lord Frank Sabalones.
Dacalos was not the first electoral candidate who died in San Fernando prior to an election.
On March 14, 2018, Councilor Alexander Alicaway, 49, was killed just meters away from the San Fernando Police Station and municipal hall by two men riding in tandem.
His death remains unsolved.
But despite the killings, Arbuis said the town remains to be safe, and he hopes that it will remain tat way n the upcoming election.
Today, Saturday, January 12 is Arbul’s last day as chief of the San Fernando police. He will be moving to Negros Oriental for another assignment.
Arbuis said his successor will take over the investigation of Dacalos’ death. /rcg