AQUINO, ROXAS CONDEMN KILLING OF 3 ABAYA AIDES
COMELEC FAILED TO ACT ON SYSTEMATIC HARASSMENT OF LP CAVITE MEN

Liberal Party standard-bearers Senators Noynoy Aquino and Mar Roxas today vehemently condemned the killing of the chief-of-staff of Cavite Rep. Joseph Emilio Aguinaldo "Jun" Abaya and two security agents from the Philippine Marines allegedly by members of the Bacoor police force.

Killed in the incident right in front of the Talaba Police Station were retired Col. Arnulfo Obillos, chief of staff of Congressman Abaya, and two Comelec-accredited security officers -Marine officer Mike Pilapil and a certain Sgt. Paraiso -- who accompanied former Cavite Rep. Plaridel "Del" Abaya who went to the police station to secure the release of 11 supporters "abducted" by armed men early Monday morning.

The supporters were found by the older Abaya to have been arrested and confined in the Talaba police station.

"Mariin naming kinokondena ang harapang karahasan na ito laban sa mataas na opisyal ng Partido Liberal. Kakatapos lang idulog ni Congressman Del ang iba't ibang reklamo kaugnay ng halalan nang tinutukan na sila't pinaslang sina Col. Obillos, Pilapil at Sgt. Paraiso (We sternly condemn this brutal assault against a high official of the Liberal Party. Congressman Del had just brought up election-related concerns with the police when the latter trained their guns at them and killed Col. Obillos, Pilapil and Sgt. Paraiso)," Aquino and Roxas said in a statement.

"We call on PNP Director General Jesus Versoza to step into this matter. He should relieve all the senior officers in this area, investigate the matter and hold all these police officers to account," they stressed.

In an interview with the ABS-CBN News Channel, the Abayas' counsel Atty. Reynaldo Robles said this is only part of the "systematic harassment" against the Abayas perpetrated allegedly by Bacoor Mayor Strike Revilla.

He said they sent two separate requests to the Commission on Elections on May 1 and May 8 to put Bacoor, Cavite under Comelec control because of these incidents of harassment, including the strafing of the house of the Abayas' supporters and the throwing of a grenade at the Abayas' residence.

He said the older Abaya went to the Talaba police station early morning today to secure the release of the 11 supporters detained at the police station.

After discussing the matter with the police, he went out and his security officers spotted a private vehicle carrying men with firearms, including a heavy machinegun, apparently waiting for them.

He said one of the passengers in the vehicle alighted, prompting the Marine officers to take protective measures to shield Abaya. The police officers from the police station then allegedly suddenly ganged up on the older Abaya, pointed their guns at him and his men and then attempted to disarm the Marine officers despite knowing they were accredited as security aides for the Abayas by the Comelec.

Despite the pleas for calm, the police officers shot the Marine officers point-blank, hitting Col. Obillos direct in the face and killing them instantly.

Aquino and Roxas said this gross violence should be blamed entirely on the police force and the Comelec as they have refused to act on repeated requests by the Abayas for the poll body to place Bacoor under its control.