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PH gov't urged to conduct 'serious' probe on slay of red-tagged doctor, Negros bloodbath

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<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2020/news/12/16/20201216-maryrosesancelan-edwinsancelanmartes.jpg"/><figcaption>Dr. Mary Rose Sancelan and her husband Edwin Sancelan were killed Tuesday in Negros Oriental. <em>File photo</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA - A prelate on Friday urged the Philippine government to conduct an &quot;impartial and serious&quot; investigation in the continuing bloodbath in Negros island, following the recent murder of a red-tagged doctor and her husband.</p><p>Bishop Gerardo Alminaza of San Carlos, Negros Oriental, in an interview with ANC, issued an urgent call to solve the spate of killings that has hounded the island since 2017.</p><p>&quot;Sad to say, you know, until now, we are still expecting a clear result, if there&#x27;s at all, of serious investigation about it,&quot; he said.</p><p>&quot;That&#x27;s what precisely we&#x27;re asking, a serious, impartial investigation will be conducted, not only about the death of Dr. [Mary Rose] Sancelan but all the other people who were killed.&quot;</p><p>&quot;I think it&#x27;s important that now we seriously look into this problem because we can&#x27;t wait anymore for many other people to be killed before we take action on this,&quot; Alminaza added.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/12/16/20/pinaslang-na-city-health-officer-ng-guihulngan-city-nasa-hit-list-umano-ng-vigilante-group">Pinaslang na city health officer ng Guihulngan City, nasa hit list umano ng vigilante group</a></li></ul><p>Dr. Mary Rose Sancelan, head of the local COVID-19 task force in Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental, and her husband Edwin Sancelan, a local government employee, were shot and killed by assailants on motorcycle on Tuesday.</p><p>Mary Rose, the lone doctor of Guihulngan City&#x27;s 33 villages, was red-tagged by a local anti-communist vigilante group in 2018. She was accused of being a local head of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People&#x27;s Army (CPP-NPA).</p><p>Two others on the list, including lawyer Anthony Trinidad, had also been killed.</p><p>Since 2017, Negros island has witnessed a bloodbath among sugar workers, rights defenders, church workers, lawyers, teachers, and even local officials and retired government professionals.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/blogs/opinions/12/16/20/dr-mary-rose-sancelan-she-saved-lives-and-murder-was-her-reward">Dr. Mary Rose Sancelan: She saved lives and murder was her reward</a></li></ul><p>Before Tuesday&#x27;s incident, Alminaza said he and Mary Rose sat down with the police and military to clear her name.</p><p>&quot;The last time I met her we thought it was okay already because she&#x27;s very much involved in controlling the pandemic, but it was a shock to hear about her murder, that she was murdered together with her husband,&quot; the bishop said.</p><p>Alminaza said Mary Rose was accused of being involved in the communist insurgency because the doctor would go to the hinterlands to provide medical services to indigents.</p><p>For him, Mary Rose&#x27;s killing is &quot;big slap in the face of local government.&quot;</p><p>&quot;We were hoping they&#x27;ll be able to really address this problem and now it has happened again. It looks like they are helpless to respond to this,&quot; he said.</p><p>The Senate in 2019 <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQttrS1WV2Q">launched an investigation in the killings in Negros island</a>, which include the case of 14 farmers who were massacred in Sagay City, Negros Oriental.</p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ACT-kt75b7I?enablejsapi=1"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div>

<p>A Catholic prelate on Friday urged the Philippine government to conduct an "impartial and serious" investigation in the continuing bloodbath in Negros island, following the murder of a red-tagged doctor and her husband.</p>

A Catholic prelate on Friday urged the Philippine government to conduct an "impartial and serious" investigation in the continuing bloodbath in Negros island, following the murder of a red-tagged doctor and her husband.