Shoot-to-kill order vs CAR leftist leader lifted upon surrender to NBI

March 13, 2021 Metro BLISTT

BAGUIO CITY (March 10, 2021) – The “shoot-to-kill” ordered against Windel Bolinget, chief of the left-leaning Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA) was lifted when he submitted himself to the National Bureau of Investigation third week of January, Cordillera police director Brigadier General RWin Pagkalinawan clarified Wednesday while parrying off serious concerns of the former after the Regional Trial Court of Tagum City recalled Bolinget’s warrant of arrest for murder this week.
Pagkalinawan explained, “in the first place, when I ordered that (STK), it was made as a last option (of the operatives) because Bolinget, like any other suspect or subject of arrest, would be first asked to surrender or peaceably go with the police.
Tagum City Branch 30 Regional Trial Court Judge Sharon Rose Saracin on September last year ordered the arrest of Bolinget and 9 others and recommending no bail for their temporary freedom.
She wanted them to be brought to her sala and undergo trial for the murder of a certain Garito Tiklonay Malibato on March 22, 2018 in barangay Gupitan, Kapalong, Davao del Norte. Bolinget allegedly conspired with nine others including Cordillera Peoples Democratic Front (CPDF) spokesperson Simon Naogsan Sr., in the killing.
Pagkalinawan ordered a “shoot to kill” to policemen then hunting Bolinget “if he fights back while being served of his warrant”. “The stk is a standard pnp operational procedure for operatives and arresting officers when engaging uncooperative suspects or subjects resisting arrest,” the Cordillera police chief explained.
But with the development of the recall of the WOA (of which the pnp cordillera remains waiting for an official copy), Pagkalinawan said, “the pnp, as always, will honor as it is an order of a duly constituted authority that must be respected.” He assured the police “will always abide by the law and the rules of engagement in police operations and fears of safety of Bolinget or any other suspect of crimes or felony in the Cordillera is misplaced.”
In a March 8 recall order of Judge Saracin, Bolinget’s motion for reconsideration was granted as state prosecutors were also ordered to reinvestigate the charge against them. The CPA however fears threats to Bolinget’s security remain. Pagkalinawan doubly assured that the Cordillera police “guarantees the safety of suspects as long as the safety of law enforcers are not threatened or compromised during law enforcement operations.” The rules of engagement are very clear to all men and women of the cordillera police, he stressed.
Artemio A. Dumlao/ABN