THE militant party-list group Bayan Muna called on President Arroyo on Sunday to order the immediate arrest of a member of a vigilante group who allegedly shot dead its secretary-general in Bohol before the weekend.

Bayan Muna secretary-general Nathanael Santiago asked Arroyo to address yet another case of political killing by ordering the arrest of Hilario Diola, who allegedly shot Bayan Muna-Bohol secretary-general Mario Auxilio on Friday.

Auxilio died on Sunday while undergoing treatment for gunshot wounds in the head and left arm at the Celestino Gallares Memorial Hospital in Tagbilaran City.

Reports said that Diola was a member of the Alimaong, a local vigilante group inspired by the military.

Auxilio’s killing came as a human-rights mission from the European Union starts its work in the country.

“Here is a political killing where a member of a military-handled vigilante organization is positively identified. We challenge President Arroyo to order the arrest of Diola and to hold the 15th Infantry Battalion accountable,” Santiago said.

He said he is certain that Alimaong was directed by the 15th Infantry Battalion of the Army in doing the alleged act.

Arman Perez, Bayan Muna-Cebu secretary-general, who rushed to Bohol to condole with the family of Auxilio, said that an indignation rally was scheduled Sunday night at the Fuente Osmeña in Cebu City to denounce the killing.

Perez said that Auxilio was ambushed Friday night after meeting with Boholano fishermen and farmers’ organizations who are opposing the scheduled seismic survey for an oil exploration project.

According to Bayan Muna,  a Philippine Information Agency report said that a consortium of Alcorn Gold Resources Corp., Trans-Asia Oil and Energy Development Corp. and Petro-Energy Resources Corp. obtained government permission to develop and explore possible oil and gas sources in the East-West Visayan basin off the coast of Bohol, covering 440,000 hectares.

The exploration site, however, is within Bohol’s “marine amazon,” which scientific surveys show has a highly diverse seascape many times better than that of the Mediterranean Sea.

Auxilio was elected secretary-general of Bayan Muna-Bohol in April and was sworn into office by party-list Rep. Teddy Casiño of Bayan Muna, who attended the provincial assembly.

 Auxilio ran but lost as an independent candidate for provincial board member in Bohol’s Second District.

Victor Olayvar, chairman of the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan-Bohol chapter, was shot and killed on September 7, 2006, in Tagbilaran City.

CABANATUAN CITY—The National Police is not discounting the possibility that politics is behind the killing of Lupao, Nueva Ecija mayor-elect and his cousin, who is the vice mayor-elect in a cockpit in San Jose City, on Friday night.

THE militant party-list group Bayan Muna called on President Arroyo on Sunday to order the immediate arrest of a member of a vigilante group who allegedly shot dead its secretary-general in Bohol before the weekend.

FORMER Navy lieutenant senior grade Antonio Trillanes IV should get used to the idea that he may not be able to attend even a single session of the Senate in his six-year term as a senator, a military lawyer said on Sunday.

ZAMBOANGA CITY—Government forces tracking down the kidnappers of Italian priest Fr. Giancarlo Bossi in Zamboanga Sibugay have enlisted the help fo several individuals who could help in the early recovery of the hostage.

THE Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) and its president, Winston Garcia, on Thursday filed a complaint for libel against Lakas Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr. of Manila for allegedly claiming that GSIS funds were being used to bribe congressmen to support the speakership bid of Cebu congressman-elect Pablo Garcia.

DAVAO CITY—There was no ominous sign, nothing unusual as Rusty Antelino, 31, left his house in Kidapawan City, North Cotabato, for  work as a bus conductor of Weena Express 1104 that Friday afternoon.