By Kit Bagaipo
The Bohol Chronicle

An alleged "agent" of the 15th Infantry Battalion was criticized after gatecrashing and "conducting surveillance" at the wake of slain Bayan Muna leader Mario Auxilio.

According to Karapatan, the "solemnity" of the last day of wake of Auxilio was disrupted when the alleged military asset "gatecrashed" in the early morning of June 26 at the residence of Auxilio in barangay Cabiguhan, Trinidad.

The "army agent" reportedly admitted to relatives and militant group members, who effected citizen's arrest, that he was "deployed to the wake by a certain M/Sgt. Barrios of the 15th IB with the daily supervision of one PFC Danny Rubico of the 12th IB to monitor the movements of Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Satur Ocampo.

Ocampo was here to pay tribute to Auxilio and hold a dialogue with Gov. Erico Aumentado and provincial police chief SSupt. Edgardo Ingking.

However, Trinidad police was quick to explain the release was due to the failure of relatives of Auxilio and other complainants to file charges against Dominador Namatac, 23, a resident of barangay San Pascual, Ubay town.

According to Inabanga police investigator PO3 Bonifacio Flores, they have to release Namatac since the complainants never came back the day after they brought the suspected "army agent" to be detained at the Trinidad PNP lock-up jail.

According to PO3 Flores, activist leaders and relatives of Auxilio brought Namatac at the police station on the morning of June 26 for allegedly disrupting the vigil of the slain Bayan Muna leader.

Namatac purportedly bragged of being "a rebel returnee," and was tasked to monitor Ocampo.

Atty. Poch Cinco, chairperson of Karapatan said in a press statement, that they condemn the military's attempt at sabotaging the wake.

"The recent action of the 15th IB of sending an agent to infiltrate the crowd of mourners only confirms that this military unit has a hand in the assassination of Mayong (Auxilio)," Cinco said

"These soldiers are not only taunting the grief of multitudes but are sending a warning to those who believe in Mayong's cause that they could be next," the press statement cited.

Hundreds of mourners accompanied the interment of Auxilio last Tuesday at the Trinidad public cemetery.

Until now, the prime suspect in the slaying of the peasant leader, Hilario Diola, is still at large.

Auxilio was gunned down allegedly by Diola at the Public Market in Bien Unido town shortly before midnight last June 15.

A case has been filed by the Bohol Police Provincial Office last week against Diola based on the testimony of five witnesses who saw the shooting.

Last Tuesday, during a conference with Rep. Ocampo and SSupt. Ingking at the Governor's Mansion, Gov. Aumentado offered a P50,000 cash reward to anyone who could provide information that would lead to the arrest of the lone suspect.(July 1, 2007)

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