Governor Arthur Yap, during his inaugural address on Sunday, took time to honor the memories of two alleged victims of election-related violence during the 2019 poll season.

Yap asked for a moment of silence at the start of his speech to honor Conrado Aniasco and Ernesto Sioco, Jr., both supporters of his political allies at the municipal level, defeated Buenavista mayoral candidate Rico Cabarrubias and Clarin Vice Mayor Allen Piezas, respectively.

“Before we begin, can I please ask everybody to rise for just a moment of silence to honor the memories of Conrado Aniasco and Ernesto Sioco Jr., both victims of electoral violence in this year’s midterm elections,” said Yap.

Yap also mourned the death of former Jagoliao, Getafe barangay captain Alejandro Abaño, also a supporter of Yap’s Padayon Bol-anon political coalition, who was shot dead by at least 20 suspects in his Getafe home at dawn on Friday last week.

“May their souls rest in peace and their killers be brought to justice,” said Yap.

Getafe Police chief Captain Benecer Tamboboy said that they were still conducting investigations to identify the motive and suspects behind Abaño’s killing.

‘Election-related’ killings

On January 16, Aniasco, who was driving the SUV of Cabarrubias, was killed during an alleged ambush on the then-mayoral bet in Getafe.

Cabarrubias who was sitting at the passenger seat and was heading home to Buenavista from a court hearing in Talibon was unscathed.

In Clarin, Sioco, a “purok” political leader, was gunned down by at least four suspects at a remote village on May 11.

Bohol Provincial Police Office director Col. Julius Gornez, after releasing the sketch of one of the suspects on May 28, said that they considered the attack as a suspected election-related incident.

Police in Clarin have also noted that the attack may have been politically-motivated given that it transpired two days before the May 13 polls.

“Kanang [election-related], gihapon na gi wa kay na-timingan man to nga upcoming election so possible na election-related pud siya,” said Corporal Nerios Malvas, Jr.

However, Malvas noted that they are not discounting other possible motives such as robbery.

“Ang atong nahibaw-an diha to siyay sling bag so possible nga basin robbery with homicide pud to kay nawala man pud iyang sling bag according sa iyang asawa unya naay cellphone,” he added.

Meanwhile, the National Bureau of Investigation is set to conduct a probe on the killing as they have requested for case files on the incident from the Clarin police.  (A. Doydora)