Puzzling motives behind Heredia’s murder

“The dead cannot cry out for justice. It is a duty of the living to do so for them.”

—Lois McMaster Bujold

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

THE cold-blooded murder of John Heredia, Pilar, Capiz municipal administrator in Barangay Lawa-an, Roxas City May 2 left so many questions than answers.

The former newsman and resident of San Jose Village, Barangay Tiza, Roxas City was shot to death by motorcycle-riding killers wearing masks at past 2 o’clock in the afternoon while about to enter his car. 

Lieutenant Colonel Ricardo Jomuad Jr., chief of the Roxas City Police Office, the victim was an active supporter of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) in Pilar.

His being a supporter of the controversial NTF-ELCAC “may be a motive in the killing,” according to Jomuad.

Jomuad didn’t mention any other motives aside from Heredia’s involvement with the NTF-ELCAC, but we are confident police investigators are also pursuing other possible angles.

In many other summary executions in the Philippines involving riding in tandem assailants, critics blamed mostly the cops as the perpetrators allegedly tasked by their superiors to eliminate those involved in drug trafficking.

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This theory was bolstered by past incidents where some of the riding in tandem killers waylaid and killed by their would be victims were identified as policemen in plainclothes.

We learned that Heredia, 54, who was very active in his job according to his boss, Pilar Mayor Arnold Perez, was never linked to illegal drugs, thus pro-government anti-illegal drugs vigilante groups, if ever they exist, couldn’t be behind the senseless murder.

If he was an active supporter of NTF-ELCAC, which is being backed by the Duterte administration, his killers could not be from the Philippine National Police (PNP) who allegedly were disguised as civilians when operating as riding in tandem murderers.

If the killers were communist hitmen affected by NTF-ELCAC’s campaign, why would they zero in on a municipal official and not the main organizers of NTF-ELCAC?

Director Jomuad and the entire police investigation team should dig deeper and solve Heredia’s brutal murder.

 

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LET US STAND UP BEFORE TOUCHING THE TOILET HANDLE.  One in three people flush while sitting down. If we are one of them, let us consider this: When we flush, droplets of water spray in the air. That means we can be exposed to bacteria, which increases our risk of getting a urinary tract infection (UTI). Source: Soap and Water & Common Sense.

SURFING THE WEB ISN'T A WASTE OF TIME, AFTER ALL. According to new research from the University of California, Los Angeles, people who searched the Internet for an hour a day experienced a jump in brain activity. 

"The act of clicking through links and new information may build neutral connections and gray matter," says study author Gary Small, M.D. "Over time that might help protect against dementia."

RISE IN THE NAME OF GOOD HEALTH. Every hour women spend sitting during the day increases the likelihood of metabolic syndrome, which is a series of risk factors including hypertension, high cholesterol and abdominal obesity, reports the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

If we exercise regularly in a warm climate, it doesn't matter what time we work out. 

Whether it's at the beginning or end of the day, we are likely to see the same strength gains, thanks to our body's response to the consistent conditions. Source: Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research.

Fats in the hips, thighs and butt can be an asset, according to a new review of studies. 

"Unlike belly fat, which is linked to chronic disease, fat in your lover body appears to absorb excess fatty acids, preventing them from traveling to organs, such as the liver, where they could put you at risk for diabetes," says Konstantinos Manolopoulos, M.D.

GARLIC GOODNESS. Adding garlic to our next meal may protect our health. The more of the pungent herb that we consume, the lower the amount of a carcinogen in our bodies, research shows. 

Garlic appears to block nitrates, found in foods like processed meats, from turning toxic. Source: Analytical Biochemistry

OUTSMARTING A SNACK ATTACK. Eating two small snacks a day can help us lose weight. Trouble is, research shows that we're munching more than ever before--choosing foods that are high in calories and fat--and packing on the pounds as a result. "Often we're not even hungry, but because we're surrounded by food, we're tempted to eat anyway," says Kerry Neville, Ph.D. of American Dietetic Assn.

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two dailies in Iloilo)