DAVAO CITY (November 13) — The Police Regional Office (PRO)-12 relieved over the weekend Senior Supt. Nestor Salcedo, South Cotabato police director, and Supt. Jose Mari Simangan, Polomolok police chief, following the death of B’laan tribal leader and environment advocate Rodrigo Samling on October 31, 2018.
The police report indicated that operatives were out to serve the warrant of arrest against Samling who was accused rape.
But his brother Roger Samling, a barangay councilor in a DZRH report, claimed it was a rub-out.
Samling, 36, a resident of Barangay Dandan, Polomolook, South Cotabato, sustained 13 gunshot wounds in the different part of his body which caused his death.
Superintendent Aldren Gonzales, spokesperson of the Police Regional Office-12, said the policemen were out to serve the warrant of arrest against Samling but he reportedly resisted arrest and targeted the police.
Gonzales also claimed, Sampling was among those in the narcolist.
Roger however said, his brother did not own a gun and is neither a drur user or pushers.
Witnesses said two policemen flagged down Sampling’s ‘multicab’ vehicle and immediately shot him several times until he fell on the ground.
The victim was reportedly on his way to the bank to withdraw money to improve the swimming pool in Kablagil. Samling was accused with a crime which had been dismissed by the court.
Chief Supt. Eliseo Tam Rasco, PRO-12 director, said the removal of the officials from their posts was to ensure an impartial investigation. Salcedo was replaced by Senior Supt. Joel Limson, who previously headed the PRO-12’s personnel and human resource development division. He was reassigned to the regional director’s office and designated as the area supervisor for Sultan Kudarat province, replacing Senior Supt. Noel Kinazo.
Kinazo assumed as the new acting chief of the regional personnel and human resource development division. Supt. Samuel Cadungon, the former deputy city director for operations of the Cotabato City Police Office, replaced Simangan as acting police chief of Polomolok town.
Simangan was reassigned as deputy battalion commander of the Regional Mobile Force Battalion-12, replacing Supt. Romeo Galgo who was designated as the new deputy city director for operations of the Cotabato City Police Office.
Samling’s family and former Environment secretary Gina Lopez, who had worked with Samling on local environmental projects, sought the investigation on the incident last week. – ezc with report from PNA
