Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles condemned the shooting of a Land Transportation Office (LTO) personnel on Wednesday, July 17, by still-unidentified assailants and readily assured that the Philippine National Police (PNP) is expediting its probe of the incident.
Initial reports said Felixberto Loayon, Rene Sinangute and Frede Wabina, all employees of LTO Surigao, were traveling in the direction of Surigao City when they were attacked by the gunmen at around 8 a.m.
“We’re still verifying many details on the shooting and determining whether any reward has been offered.”
Loayon, leader of LTO’s regional enforcement team, was killed instantly. Sinangute and Wabina were reported as wounded.
No concrete leads as to the identities or motives of the attackers have surfaced so far.
However, Maria Kristina Cassion, officer-in-charge of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) in the region, was quoted as saying the ambush could be “a retaliatory attack” on the agency’s massive drive against ‘colorum’ public utility operators.
“We’re still verifying many details on the shooting and determining whether any reward has been offered, but the PNP has made assurances that it’s directly addressing the matter,” said Nograles, who is Cabinet Officer for Regional Development and Security (CORDS) for Region 13 or the CARAGA Region, which covers Surigao City.
The former three-term Davao Congressman likewise noted that the incident was “an isolated one” that didn’t reflect the general security and peace situation in CARAGA.
“We’re saddened by what happened to these dedicated government employees who faced danger, even death, in the performance of their duties. Our regional constituents can take solace and comfort in the fact, though, that the national government remains unwavering in its plans to prioritize Mindanao development and to further improve the security situation in the area,” Nograles said.