MikeLigalig.com

by pna

The Inter-Religious Solidarity Movement for Peace (IRSMP) has asked the authorities to take a strong move to put a stop to the killings in this southern port city.

The call by the IRSMP came after the killing of Universidad de Zamboanga (UZ) Chief Executive Officer Hadji Arturo Ammar Eustaquio, which the group said “has shocked present and former city residents, and hopefully the city’s authorities from their smug complacency as well.”

Eustaquio, 63, was gunned down by three suspects around 1 p.m. Sunday while he was coming out of his residence's compound driving a motorcycle at Maestra Vicenta Street, Barangay Sta. Maria, north of this city.

The statement was signed by Fr. Angel Calvo, Prof. Ali Yabub, Rev. Paulino Ersando and Nulhamdo Cegales, the IRSMP Convenor for Catholic, Muslims, Evangelicals and Indigenous Communities, respectively.

The IRSMP noted that the killing of Eustaquio, an honorary mbmer of the IRSMP, was the 61st that took place since January of this year in this city.

They asked President Simeon Benigno Aquino, III “to utilize his extraordinary/special powers to order appropriate officials, agencies and sectors to restore and preserve peace and order and the rule of law in Zamboanga City.”

They also asked Zamboanga City Mayor Celso Lobregat “to take seriously his job in regard to his constituents’ safety, peace and sense of security, to utilize and properly his office’s considerable resources, power and authority for that pre-eminent concern and need of city residents.”

The IRSMP called on the law enforcement officers to do their job, citing “you know your peace and order job, so just do it because if you don’t it is tantamount to not knowing at all or constitutes a neglect of duty.”

“We condole with his (Eustaquio) good, grieving family and the men and women of the Universidad. Words cannot describe our sense of outrage and condemnation of this dastardly incident,” the IRSMP said.

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