Gunman in Ati spokesman slay known

Police have already identified the gunman who shot dead the spokesperson of the Boracay Ati Tribal Organization (BATO) here.

In a press conference yesterday, the Aklan Police Provincial Office (APPO) said it is now readying murder charges against the suspect.

But “we are not yet ready to (disclose the identity) of the suspect, pending continued investigation” on the killing of 26-year-old Dexter Condez, said Supt. Pedrito Escarilla, APPO chief. “We will file the case at the Aklan Provincial Prosecutor’s Office.”

Condez was shot dead while walking along a dimly lit area of Brgy. Manoc-Manoc here on Friday night, February 22.

“Although it is a strong possibility that the victim was killed because of a land dispute, we are still trying to determine if the suspect was a hired killer. Or maybe there’s another angle,” Escarilla said.

He said they have formed a tracker team that will monitor the movements of the suspect “so we can arrest him anytime, whenever the warrant of arrest is ready.”

While the Ati community here welcomed the development, the BATO and the Catholic Church cried justice for Condez.

Fr. Arnold Crisostomo of the parochial church here strongly believed that the killing of Condez had something to do with the harassment of the Ati community in Brgy. Manoc-Manoc last November 4.

At least 20 shotgun-wielding men, who were believed henchmen of Richard King of Crown Regency Boracay, allegedly harassed the aetas in the village.

On January 21, 2011, the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) awarded a Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title to the BATO so its members could have a piece of land where they could permanently settle.

The BATO is composed of almost 40 Ati families or 200 individuals.