Police charge 23 men in grisly Lianga murders

By BEN SERRANO
Correspondent

BUTUAN City––Police have filed murder and other charges against 23 men who were linked to the Sept. 1 killings of the executive of a tribal school and two tribal leaders in Lianga, Surigao del Sur.

Surigao del Sur police director Senior Supt. Narciso Verdadero said the suspects were charged with multiple murder, arson, grave coercion, grave threats, and robbery before the Provincial Prosecutors’ Office (Annex) in Lianga town on Tuesday afternoon.

Three of the suspects were identified in the complaint as Bobby and Loloy Tejero, and Garito Layno. Twenty other respondents in the 15-page complaint were John Does.

Verdadero said all the suspects are at large, and the police have launched a manhunt against them. The suspects are reportedly members of a group called “Magahat” led by one Calpet Egua. The name of the group means “fierce” or “fearless” in Manobo.

Verdadero said witnesses have signed affidavits against the suspects in the grisly murders of Alternative Learning Center for Agriculture and Livelihood Development (Alcadev) executive director Emerito Samarca, Malahutayong Pakigbisog Alang sa Sumusunod (Mapasu) chairman Dionel Campos, and Aurelio Sinzo in Sitio Han-ayan, Barangay Diatagon in Lianga in Sept. 1.
Samarca, 61, was hogtied, hanged, and repeatedly stabbed. His throat was also slit open. The other victims were repeatedly shot to the head, and were beyond recognition when their bodies were found.

The killers fled the tribal school after the murders, and burned its offices. The gruesome murders resulted in fears of more attacks, forcing villagers to evacuate to Tandag city. Surigao del Sur Gov. Johnny Pimentel told the Gold Star Daily that many of the evacuees are still staying being sheltered at the Tandag City and Provincial Sports Center.