MID snowballing calls for his resignation, Kalinga Police Provincial Director Pedro Ramos was given a 30-day vacation leave to "pave the way for an impartial investigation on the attempted killing of a militant leader."

Superintendent Joseph Adnol, chief of the Police Community Relations Division of the Regional Police Office, said that Senior Superintendent Roberto Damian took over as police provincial director of Kalinga effective August 15. Damian also heads Task Force Claver, which is looking into the ambush of Dr. Chandu and Alyce Omengan Claver.


But the Cordillera Human Rights Alliance (CHRA) said it was dismayed by the decision of the Philippine National Police (PNP) to give Ramos a vacation leave.

"The development is an insult to families affected by the violations committed by Ramos. While this move was done 'to keep the integrity and impartiality of the investigation,' we ask: 'Is this move also to protect him from the growing ire of the public?'" the group said.

"We cannot help but doubt the wisdom behind this decision, especially since it is not clear if Ramos would be the main subject of the investigation over the killings that have been happening in Kalinga, including the death of Cordillera Peoples Alliance leader Rafael Markus Bangit," it added.

The CHRA claimed "there are 16 victims of summary execution and seven cases of frustrated murder in the province, where witnesses and the kin of victims have directly pointed to Ramos as the culprit. A month's leave with pay from taxpayers' money is not the punishment he deserves."

"Ramos should be held accountable for his obvious lack of effort to pursue the gunmen involved in the Claver ambush and to solve the killings in Kalinga. This lack of effort even seems to be intended on his part," the group added.

The UN envoy for indigenous peoples' rights asked President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to form an independent body that will investigate the recent slay attempt on Chanu, chairman of the Bayan Muna-Kalinga.

Tebtebba Foundation chairperson Victoria Tauli-Corpuz also urged that Ramos be put under preventive suspension pending the result of the investigation.

With 73 unsolved political killings in Kalinga, Corpuz said the situation is "alarming as it communicates to foreign countries that the Philippine Government cannot ensure the basic right to life of its citizens, which is tantamount to its failure to fulfill the country's obligations in upholding human rights."