Relatives of PO2 Lalan’s alleged victims cry for justice

Relatives of the four people allegedly killed by PO2 Christopher Lalan, a police survivor in the January 25 Mamasapano clash, are calling for justice for the deaths of their loved ones.

In an exclusive report on GMA News TV's “Quick Response Team” on Monday, the relatives said the four were helpless when Lalan shot them to death as they were sleeping inside a mosque.

“Sa Shariah Law, kung buhay [ang kinuha], buhay din [ang kapalit],” one of the relatives said. “Ngayon sa buong Pilipinas o sa buong mundo pa nga, ang pinag-uusapan katarungan para sa SAF 44, sana naman ganun din ang paghahanap ng hustisya para sa 'min, hindi yung one-sided lang.”



He was referring to the 44 Special Action Force commandos who were killed in the January 25 clash in Mamasapano, Maguindanao, with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and its splinter group, the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF).

The clash occurred despite the peace deal signed between the government and the MILF in March last year.

According to reports, Lalan, the lone survivor of the 55th Special Action Company of the PNP-SAF, shot four MILF members and a civilian sleeping inside a hut, which turned out to be a mosque, while retreating from the encounter.

PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) chief Director Benjamin Magalong, who heads the police Board of Inquiry tasked to investigate the Mamasapano encounter, said they may investigate the allegations against Lalan but only as a “collateral issue.”

Magalong said the BOI is just a fact-finding body with no prosecutorial power.

Lalan, in an earlier television interview, denied the allegations, saying the people inside the hut were armed and were firing at him and the other SAF troopers.

The MILF had earlier claimed that 18 of its members were killed in the encounter, which it is also investigating. Three civilians were also reportedly killed.  —Elizabeth Marcelo/KBK, GMA News