Adilao's family seeks justice over shootout in CDO

By JONG CADION

PNP in civilian clothes involved in a shootout?

PAGADIAN CITY (Dec. 24, 2018) - Days after of silence, the family of the slain businessman and politician Abdul Rahim Batawi Adilao,  who was killed after fatally shot by the Highway Patrol Group (HPG) in Masterson Ave. in upper Carmen over the weekend, came out after the family seen the recording of the camera circuit television (CCTV) while the victim having a gas up at the gasoline station.

Butig Vice Mayor Abunail Adilao, son of the victim disclosed that after the wake of his father, their family decided to come out in the open after they have learned that the PNP enforcers claimed that  “They were at the wrong place and at the wrong time,” according to Senior Supt. Danilo Buentipo.

In an interview with Adilao's helper, Nena said prior to the fatal incident, Joan N. Gomez, the woman identified with Adilao in the said vehicle told her that they (Adilao and Gomez) are going to a massage parlor with no other companion and stressed that they brought no firearm.

Contrary to what police said there were two other male suspects who supposedly escaped, but Buentipo said the CCTV recording showed that Adilao was only with Joan Gomez, 30, who was reportedly dropped off by Adilao at the convenience store before the shootout.

Buentipo said the two men seen running were motorela passengers who ran for cover when Adilao and the policemen fired shots at each other.

Police said the shootout took place after SPO1 Serge de Constantine Maceren and SPO2 Lyndie Baltazar, now recovering from a gunshot wound, flagged down Adilao’s car because they found the vehicle’s license plates suspicious.

Prior to the shooting incident ,Buentipo said the police officers felt something was not right with the car’s plates, “ULI-440,” and so, they followed Adilao’s vehicle up to an area near a convenience store.

But Buentipo said investigators found out later that Adilao’s vehicle, a new Hyundai Accent, is not a “hot car.” Except for modified temporary license plates, Adilao’s Land Transportation Office (LTO) documents — a certificate of registration and an official receipt — were in order.

“If he (Adilao) had nothing to hide, why did he not immediately open his window?” Buentipo asked rhetorically.

Vice Mayor Adilao said after the family had seen the CCTV, asked why the policemen had to flagged down the victim for the second time after the two enforcers approached and talked to the victim and seen opened the doors while he is having a gas up at the said gasoline station.

“We were puzzled why the police didn’t apprehended my father if he is carrying a long firearm while he is having a gas up in the first time they approached and talked to him,”, Adilao said.

He said why did the police let his father went out at the gasoline station with his car just to confront him for the second time and was shot and killed them.

They also asked, how can Adilao fired the alleged M-4 baby armalite with a tampered serial number when in fact he was inside the small vehicle. He said that his father knew that the area is under martial law and he is aware that carrying a high powered firearm is prohibited at a time because he owned a gun store.

He said that his father owned a glock 9MM with permit to carry (but was missing) after he received a death threat after he filed his candidacy to run for mayor in Butig, Lanao del Sur. Abunail Adilao added that based on the police report the officers in charge declared that 20pcs of 9mm cartridges were found at the crime scene.

One of the residents (asked not to be named) said prior to the filing of Adilao’s candidacy, four (4) individual had filed their candidacy but withdrew after they had learned that Adilao will run for mayor and pledged their support to his candidacy in front of several leaders of Butig Lanao del sur. It was also learned that it was not Adilao who personally filled his candidacy instead his supporters filled for him and witnessed by the election officers of Butig Lanao del Sur.

It was also learned that the funeral of Adilao was attended by almost every influential and big families of Butig that only showed that he was loved by its residents as their leader.

The family, relatives, friends and his supporters are now asking the intervention of the concern agency to resolve the most tragic incident and the untimely death of one of the most influential leader of Butig, Lanao del Sur.