By
Jigger Jerusalem
December
5, 2017
CAGAYAN
DE ORO CITY – The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Monday ordered the National
Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to investigate the killing of the head of a
state-run university here.
 |
| Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II |
In
his Department Order 764, Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II directed the
NBI to conduct an investigation and case build-up on the death of Dr. Ricardo
Rotoras, “and if evidence so warrants, to file appropriate charges thereon.”
Aguirre
said he has delegated NBI Director Dante Gierran to look into the killing of
Rotoras, president of the University of Science and Technology of Southern
Philippines (USTP). He also headed the Philippine Association of State
Universities and College (PASUC) at the time of his death.
Rotoras
was gunned down by still unidentified assailants outside his home at Golden
Glow North, a posh housing subdivision in Barangay Carmen, this city, on Dec.
2.
Aguirre
also ordered Gierran to submit a report to the Office of the Secretary on its
“current activities related to the implementation of this Order.”
NBI-10
Regional Director Sally Hans Barbaso said that local agents have been deployed
to gather information on the case.
“Even
before I received the order, we started initial investigation on the case. We
can investigate motu propio,” Barbaso said in an interview Monday afternoon.
Barbaso
said the agency is closely coordinating with other law enforcement agencies.
Meanwhile,
a holy mass was held for Rotoras at the USTP gymnasium Monday morning.
USTP
teacher Nef Luczon said about 2,000 people, composed of the school faculty and
staff, students and visitors, occupied the 1,500-capacity facility to attend
the mass.
Luczon
said Rotoras' remains will be brought to the USTP gymnasium for viewing on Dec.
6-8.
In
a related development, the city government has offered to give a P1 million
reward for those who can lead to the arrest of the perpetrator in the Rotoras
killing.
