Will the Mastermind Make a Comeback?
Jade Verde
November 15, 2006
(Resources and information of this article are based on the one-on-one interviews with police beat respondents on the witness stand, in Zamboanga City, Philippines.---ED)
FOR THE PAST WEEKS, policemen and militarymen alike were killed in agressive gun attacks in Zamboanga City, in the Southern Philippines.
The victims were shot in the head and other parts of their bodies. Witnesses informed the police that they saw motorcycle riding gunmen persistently trailing towards each of the victims, and determinably shooting them to death.
The number of senseless killings in the city and neighboring outskirts had increased significantly over the recent months. Just the past two weeks, about a dozen people had been killed in persistent gun attacks in Zamboanga, bringing the death toll to more than 80 since early this year.
Most of the killings remain unsolved and police blamed the attacks on hired killers for the fulfillment of family feuds and individual vengeance. Most of the killings here were believed to be connected with clan feud and personal grudges.
The truth to the matter is that there could be five (5) possible motives to the killings of policemen and militarymen, namely:
1. The pursuance of Generational Family Feuds,
2. Personal vendetta,
3. Killing-for-ransom,
4. Rebel group terrorism, or
5. Killing for personal ambition.
More than 200 people had been killed in violent attacks and summary executions in Zamboanga City the past years.
There are lots of sectoral investigations going on, and the official reports about the masterminding of the attacks are most awaited. These spate of killings could be related to any of the five aforementioned options.
As usual, the Al Qaeda and Jemaah Islamiyah-linked Moro rebel groups in the country are suspected to be behind the alarming spate of killings in the city.
"The series of killings in Zamboanga City is obviously the leadership of the AQ and the JI terrorist groups, and initiated by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), and executed by the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) and the other terror groups in the country," confided an Alliance Evangelical pastor in the city.
The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), so far the biggest Moro rebel group in the country, had particularly continued to disclaim responsibility in these specific series of killings, but have pledged to look into allegations against their group.
"The MILF is not involved in any terroristic activities, since we are a revolutionary organization, and not a terrorist group," said a group insider who requested anonymity.
The MILF said the murder charges against them will always be politically motivated, since they are currently negotiating for peace favors with the Philippine government.
Who then is the mastermind to these mysterious spate of killings? Will he lead in another spate of killings in the city?
HE HAS FINALLY RETURNED
As of this presstime, the series of killings had incredibly come to a sudden stop. Members of the city's media sector correlate this peaceful situation to the return of Senior Superintendent MARIO BIONG YANGA as the city's Police Chief---the very position of his desire.
The media sector expressed full confidence that the assumption of Senior Superintendent Yanga as the city's police chief will continuously contribute to the improvement of the city's peace and order situation.
Bienvenidos a ti, Seņor Yanga! (JV)
30
FOR THE PAST WEEKS, policemen and militarymen alike were killed in agressive gun attacks in Zamboanga City, in the Southern Philippines.
The victims were shot in the head and other parts of their bodies. Witnesses informed the police that they saw motorcycle riding gunmen persistently trailing towards each of the victims, and determinably shooting them to death.
The number of senseless killings in the city and neighboring outskirts had increased significantly over the recent months. Just the past two weeks, about a dozen people had been killed in persistent gun attacks in Zamboanga, bringing the death toll to more than 80 since early this year.
Most of the killings remain unsolved and police blamed the attacks on hired killers for the fulfillment of family feuds and individual vengeance. Most of the killings here were believed to be connected with clan feud and personal grudges.
The truth to the matter is that there could be five (5) possible motives to the killings of policemen and militarymen, namely:
1. The pursuance of Generational Family Feuds,
2. Personal vendetta,
3. Killing-for-ransom,
4. Rebel group terrorism, or
5. Killing for personal ambition.
More than 200 people had been killed in violent attacks and summary executions in Zamboanga City the past years.
There are lots of sectoral investigations going on, and the official reports about the masterminding of the attacks are most awaited. These spate of killings could be related to any of the five aforementioned options.
As usual, the Al Qaeda and Jemaah Islamiyah-linked Moro rebel groups in the country are suspected to be behind the alarming spate of killings in the city.
"The series of killings in Zamboanga City is obviously the leadership of the AQ and the JI terrorist groups, and initiated by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), and executed by the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) and the other terror groups in the country," confided an Alliance Evangelical pastor in the city.
The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), so far the biggest Moro rebel group in the country, had particularly continued to disclaim responsibility in these specific series of killings, but have pledged to look into allegations against their group.
"The MILF is not involved in any terroristic activities, since we are a revolutionary organization, and not a terrorist group," said a group insider who requested anonymity.
The MILF said the murder charges against them will always be politically motivated, since they are currently negotiating for peace favors with the Philippine government.
Who then is the mastermind to these mysterious spate of killings? Will he lead in another spate of killings in the city?
HE HAS FINALLY RETURNED
As of this presstime, the series of killings had incredibly come to a sudden stop. Members of the city's media sector correlate this peaceful situation to the return of Senior Superintendent MARIO BIONG YANGA as the city's Police Chief---the very position of his desire.
The media sector expressed full confidence that the assumption of Senior Superintendent Yanga as the city's police chief will continuously contribute to the improvement of the city's peace and order situation.
Bienvenidos a ti, Seņor Yanga! (JV)
30
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